Microbial compositions and methods

ABSTRACT

Microbial compositions for application to plants, plant parts and plant seeds are provided for improvement of plant disease resistance and/or other beneficial plant traits, particularly resistance or tolerance to soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS) caused by a Fusarium species and/or disease caused by a Pythium species. Methods of making and applying microbial compositions or p formulations to plants, plant parts or plant seeds or to growth media are further provided to increase or improve plant disease resistance N and/or other beneficial plant traits.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/441,918, filed Jan. 3, 2017, and U.S. Provisional Application No.62/449,974, filed Jan. 24, 2017, each of which is herein incorporated byreference in its entirety.

INCORPORATION OF SEQUENCE LISTING

The sequence listing that is contained in the file named“MONS407WO_ST25.txt,” which is 3 kilobytes as measured in MicrosoftWindows operating system and was created on Jan. 2, 2018, is filedelectronically herewith and incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to compositions comprising microorganismsfor protecting plants from infection by a plant pathogen(s) and/orreducing disease severity or symptoms due to a plant pathogen(s) as wellas methods for treating plants, plant parts, or soils with thosecompositions.

BACKGROUND

Some microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, may positively affectplant health and growth under certain circumstances and improve diseaseresistance of crop plants. Beneficial microbes may improvefertilization, nutrient availability or uptake, improve soilcharacteristics, modulate plant growth, or provide biopesticide orbiocontrol activity. However, microbes may also negatively impact plantsin some cases, and existing microbial products have sometimes exhibitedinconsistent performance or minimal crop benefits.

A continuing need exists in the art for the development of novelmicrobial compositions and methods that can be used to improve plantgrowth and disease resistance or tolerance of crop plants in a varietyof agricultural field environments and growth conditions, and/or toreduce infection or disease severity or symptoms due to a plantpathogen.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, an isolated Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain is providedthat is deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-123716. An isolatedPseudomonas strain may have a 16S rDNA sequence that is at least 99.5%,at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, atleast 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least99.95%, or 100% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1, and wherein the Pseudomonasstrain confers a positive agricultural trait or benefit to a crop plantwhen the crop plant is treated or associated with the Pseudomonasstrain. An isolated Pseudomonas strain may have a whole (or partial)genome sequence that is at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least 99.2%, atleast 99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%,at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical tothe corresponding genome sequence of a Pseudomonas chlororaphis strainprovided herein, and wherein the Pseudomonas strain confers a positiveagricultural trait or benefit to a crop plant treated or associated withthe Pseudomonas strain. In one example, the positive agricultural traitor benefit comprises increased resistance to soybean Sudden DeathSyndrome (“SDS”) relative to a control plant. An isolated Pseudomonasstrain may be a progeny of a Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain providedherein. In further embodiments, a functional variant of a Pseudomonaschlororaphis strain or isolate is provided. In further embodiments, apure or substantially pure culture or population of a Pseudomonaschlororaphis strain or a Pseudomonas strain or isolate is provided.

In another aspect, a composition is provided comprising a microbialstrain or isolate and an agriculturally acceptable carrier, wherein themicrobial strain or isolate has a 16S rDNA sequence that is at least99.9% or at least 99.95% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1. A microbial strainor isolate may have a 16S rDNA sequence that is 99.9%, or at least99.95% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1, or a microbial strain or isolate mayhave a 16S rDNA sequence that is 100% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1.Compositions may comprise a microbial strain or isolate having a partialor whole genome sequence that is at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least99.2%, at least 99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%,at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, atleast 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100%identical to the corresponding partial or whole genome sequence of thebacterial strain or isolate deposited as ATCC accession numberPTA-123716.

In a further aspect, a composition is provided comprising a microbialstrain or isolate and an agriculturally acceptable carrier, wherein themicrobial strain or isolate has a partial or whole genome sequence thatis at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least 99.2%, at least 99.3%, atleast 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical to thecorresponding partial or whole genome sequence of the bacterial strainor isolate deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-123716. A microbialstrain or isolate may be a Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain or isolate. Abacterial strain or isolate may be deposited as ATCC accession numberPTA-123716. In certain embodiments, an agriculturally acceptable carrieris provided that may confer at least one beneficial characteristic tothe composition, such as improved efficacy, stability, wetting,flowability or coating onto a plant, plant part or seed, relative to acontrol composition lacking the agriculturally acceptable carrier. Infurther embodiments, compositions may comprise a wetting agent ordispersant, a binder or adherent, an aqueous solvent and a non-aqueousco-solvent. Compositions may further comprise a pesticidal agent; afungicide, herbicide, insecticide, miticide, acaricide, nematicide,and/or gastropodicide; and/or a plant nutrient or fertilizer. In someembodiments, a pesticidal agent is selected from the group consisting ofBacillus firmus, clothianidin, pyraclostrobin, metalaxyl, fluxapyroxad,imidacloprid, fluopyram, Bradyrhizobia japonocium,lipo-chitoologilosaccharide, Penicillium bilaiae, Trichoderma virens,Bacillius amyloliquefaciens, genistein and daidzein. Compositionsprovided may be formulated as a solid; as a powder, lyophilisate, pelletor granules; as a liquid or gel; or as an emulsion, colloid, suspensionor solution.

Compositions may further comprise one or more of alipo-chitooligosaccharide (LCO), a chitooligosaccharide (CO), aLCO-producing bacteria or fungus, and a chitinous compound; and/or oneor more of a flavonoid, humic acid, fulvic acid, jasmonic acid orderivatives thereof, linoleic acid or derivatives thereof, linolenicacid or derivatives thereof, karrikin, and gluconolactone. In certainembodiments, compositions may comprise a microbial strain or isolate ata concentration of at least 10³ cfu per milliliter or gram. Compositionsmay comprise a pure or substantially pure population of the microbialstrain or isolate. In certain embodiments, compositions are providedthat confer a positive agricultural trait or benefit to a crop planttreated or associated with the composition, such as increased resistanceor tolerance to SDS relative to a control plant.

In another aspect, a kit or container is provided comprising orcontaining a composition provided herein.

In further aspects, a plant, plant part or plant seed is provided thatis associated with a composition, such as a plant, plant part or plantseed having applied or coated on at least a portion of its outer surfacea composition comprising a microbial strain or isolate, wherein themicrobial strain or isolate is heterologous with respect to the plant,plant part or plant seed and has a 16S rDNA sequence that is at least99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%,at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%identical to SEQ ID NO: 1. In certain embodiments, a composition may beapplied or coated on at least a portion of the outer surface of theplant, plant part or plant seed. In some embodiments, the plant, plantpart or plant seed is transgenic. Further provided is a plant, plantpart or plant seed having applied or coated on at least a portion of itsouter surface a composition comprising a microbial strain or isolate,wherein the microbial strain or isolate is heterologous with respect tothe plant, plant part or plant seed and has a partial or whole genomesequence that is at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least 99.2%, at least99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%,at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, atleast 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical to thecorresponding partial or whole genome sequence of the bacterial strainor isolate deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-123716.

In certain embodiments, a composition may be applied or coated on atleast a portion of the outer surface of the plant, plant part or plantseed. In some embodiments, the plant, plant part or plant seed istransgenic. Embodiments may comprise a plant seed having on at least aportion of its outer surface a composition comprising a microbial strainor isolate, wherein the microbial strain or isolate is heterologous withrespect to the plant seed, and wherein the microbial strain or isolatehas a partial or whole genome sequence that is at least 99%, at least99.1%, at least 99.2%, at least 99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%,at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, atleast 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least99.95%, or 100% identical to the corresponding partial or whole genomesequence of the bacterial strain or isolate deposited as ATCC accessionnumber PTA-123716, and/or a 16S rDNA sequence that is at least 99.5%, atleast 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least99.95%, or 100% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1. A plant seed may include, forexample, a dicotyledonous plant seed, such as a plant seed from soybean,alfalfa, sunflower, cotton, canola, sugar beet, or a vegetable plant.

According to another aspect, a bag or container is provided comprisingor containing plant seeds or plant parts treated or coated with acomposition provided herein.

In other aspects, plants are provided that are grown or developed from aplant seed or plant part coated, treated or associated with a microbialstrain or isolate provided herein. In some embodiments, plants mayexhibit increased disease resistance relative to a control plant grownor developed from a plant seed or plant part that was not coated,treated or associated with the microbial strain or isolate. In someembodiments, plants are provided that have increased resistance tosudden death syndrome (SDS) caused by a Fusarium species relative to acontrol plant grown or developed from a plant seed that was not treatedwith the microbial strain or isolate.

In another aspect, methods are provided comprising: applying acomposition to a plant, plant part or plant seed, the compositioncomprising a microbial strain or isolate and an agriculturallyacceptable carrier, wherein the microbial strain or isolate isheterologous with respect to the plant, plant part or plant seed, andwherein the microbial strain or isolate has a partial or whole genomesequence that is at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least 99.2%, at least99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%,at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, atleast 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical to thecorresponding partial or whole genome sequence of the bacterial strainor isolate deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-123716, and/or a 16SrDNA sequence that is at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%,at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, atleast 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical to SEQID NO: 1. In some embodiments, the microbial strain or isolate has a 16SrDNA sequence that is 100% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1. In someembodiments, the microbial strain or isolate is the bacterial strain orisolate deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-123716. An applying stepmay comprise coating a composition onto at least a portion of the outersurface of the plant, plant part or plant seed.

In certain embodiments, methods may comprise applying a composition to adicotyledonous plant seed, such as a soybean, cotton, canola, sugarbeet, alfalfa, sunflower or vegetable seed. In further embodiments, theapplying step may comprise solid matrix priming, imbibing, coating,spraying, tumbling, agitating, dripping, soaking, immersing, dusting,drenching or encapsulating with the composition. In some embodiments, acomposition may be applied to a crop plant, wherein the compositioncomprises an effective amount of a microbial strain or isolate toincrease the disease resistance of the crop plant relative to a controlplant not treated with the composition. A composition may comprise aneffective amount of the microbial strain or isolate to increase theresistance of the crop plant to sudden death syndrome (SDS) caused by aFusarium species, relative to a control plant not treated with thecomposition. A composition may be applied to a plant part or plant seed,and the composition may comprise an effective amount of a microbialstrain or isolate to increase the disease resistance of a crop plantgrown, developed or regenerated from the plant part or plant seed afterplanting. In certain embodiments, a composition comprises an effectiveamount of the microbial strain or isolate to increase the resistance ofthe crop plant grown, developed or regenerated from the plant part orplant seed to sudden death syndrome (SDS) caused by a Fusarium species,relative to a control plant grown, developed or regenerated from a plantpart or plant seed not treated with the composition.

In further aspects, methods for increasing the disease resistance of acrop plant are provided comprising: (a) planting a plant part or seed,wherein the plant part or seed is at least partially coated with acomposition comprising a microbial strain or isolate and anagriculturally acceptable carrier, wherein the microbial strain orisolate is heterologous with respect to the plant, plant part or plantseed, and wherein the microbial strain or isolate has a partial or wholegenome sequence that is at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least 99.2%, atleast 99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%,at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical tothe corresponding partial or whole genome sequence of the bacterialstrain or isolate deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-123716, and/ora 16S rDNA sequence that is at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%,at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical toSEQ ID NO: 1, and (b) growing or regenerating the crop plant from theplant part or seed. Methods may further comprise the step of: (c)harvesting seed from the crop plant. In certain embodiments, crop plantsproduced by methods provided herein may exhibit one or more of thefollowing traits under SDS disease pressure: increased biomass,increased bushels per acre, increased grain weight per plot or perplant, improved nutritional content, greater resistance to lodging,increased root length, improved plant growth or vigor, increased stresstolerance, increased harvest index, increased fresh ear weight,increased ear diameter, increased ear length, increased seed number,increased number of pods, bolls or siliques, increased seed weight,increased seed size, and increased bushels per acre.

In yet another aspect, methods of increasing the disease resistance of acrop plant are provided comprising: (a) applying to the crop plant acomposition comprising a microbial strain or isolate and anagriculturally acceptable carrier, wherein the microbial strain orisolate is heterologous with respect to the crop plant, and wherein themicrobial strain or isolate has a partial or whole genome sequence thatis at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least 99.2%, at least 99.3%, atleast 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical to thecorresponding partial or whole genome sequence of the bacterial strainor isolate deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-123716, and/or a 16SrDNA sequence that is at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%,at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, atleast 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical to SEQID NO: 1, and (b) growing or developing the crop plant. In certainembodiments, methods may further comprise: (c) harvesting seed from thecrop plant. In some embodiments, a composition may be applied as afoliar treatment. In some embodiments, crop plants produced by methodsprovided herein may exhibit one or more of the following traits underSDS disease pressure: increased biomass, increased bushels per acre,increased grain weight per plot or per plant, improved nutritionalcontent, greater resistance to lodging, increased root length, improvedplant growth or vigor, increased stress tolerance, increased harvestindex, increased fresh ear weight, increased ear diameter, increased earlength, increased seed size, increased seed number, increased number ofpods, bolls or siliques, increased seed weight, and increased bushelsper acre.

In some aspects, methods of increasing the disease resistance of a cropplant are provided comprising: (a) applying to a growth mediumassociated with the crop plant a composition comprising a microbialstrain or isolate and an agriculturally acceptable carrier, wherein themicrobial strain or isolate is heterologous with respect to the cropplant, and wherein the microbial strain or isolate has a partial orwhole genome sequence that is at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least99.2%, at least 99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%,at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, atleast 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100%identical to the corresponding partial or whole genome sequence of thebacterial strain or isolate deposited as ATCC accession numberPTA-123716, and/or a 16S rDNA sequence that is at least 99.5%, at least99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least99.95%, or 100% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1, and (b) growing or developingthe crop plant. In certain embodiments, methods may further comprise:(c) harvesting seed from the crop plant. Embodiments may include methodswherein a composition is applied to a growth medium or soil, such as viaa drip, spray, irrigation or soil drench.

In further aspects, methods of increasing the disease resistance of acrop plant are provided comprising: (a) applying to a growth mediumassociated with a plant part or plant seed a composition comprising amicrobial strain or isolate and an agriculturally acceptable carrier,wherein the microbial strain or isolate is heterologous with respect tothe crop plant, and wherein the microbial strain or isolate has apartial or whole genome sequence that is at least 99%, at least 99.1%,at least 99.2%, at least 99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least99.95%, or 100% identical to the corresponding partial or whole genomesequence of the bacterial strain or isolate deposited as ATCC accessionnumber PTA-123716, and/or a 16S rDNA sequence that is at least 99.5%, atleast 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least99.95%, or 100% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1, and (b) growing orregenerating the crop plant from the plant part or plant seed. Incertain embodiments, methods may further comprise: (c) harvesting seedfrom the crop plant. In some embodiments, the composition may be appliedto the growth medium as a drip, spray, irrigation or soil drench. Incertain embodiments, the growth medium may be soil. Compositions may beapplied to a growth medium before, simultaneously with, or after theplant part or plant seed being planted in the growth medium.

Crop plants produced by methods provided may exhibit one or more of thefollowing traits under SDS disease pressure: increased biomass,increased bushels per acre, increased grain weight per plot or perplant, improved nutritional content, greater resistance to lodging,increased root length, improved plant growth or vigor, increased stresstolerance, increased harvest index, increased fresh ear weight,increased ear diameter, increased ear length, increased seed size,increased seed number, increased number of pods, bolls or siliques,increased seed weight, and increased bushels per acre.

In another aspect, a modified microbial strain is provided having a 16SrDNA sequence that is at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%,at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, atleast 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical to SEQID NO: 1, wherein the modified microbial strain confers a positiveagricultural trait or benefit to a crop plant when the crop plant istreated or associated with the modified microbial strain. Furtherembodiments provide a modified microbial strain having a whole (orpartial) genome sequence that is at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least99.2%, at least 99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%,at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, atleast 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, or at least 99.95%identical to the corresponding partial or whole genome sequence of thebacterial strain or isolate deposited as ATCC accession numberPTA-123716, wherein the modified microbial strain confers a positiveagricultural trait or benefit to a crop plant when the crop plant istreated or associated with the modified microbial strain.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to some embodiments, compositions are provided comprising amicrobial strain or isolate discovered and identified to impart orconfer a positive agricultural trait or benefit to a crop plant whenassociated with and/or applied to the crop plant. Such a positiveagricultural trait or benefit may include disease resistance, diseasecontrol, disease tolerance, increased plant growth, and/or increasedyield of a crop plant. More specifically, the microbial strain orisolate may be a particular bacterial or Pseudomonas chlororaphis strainor isolate designated MON 201510 and deposited under ATCC accessionnumber PTA-123716, or a closely related Pseudomonas strain or isolatehaving the same or similar characteristic(s), such as the ability toconfer or impart the same or similar positive agricultural trait orbenefit to a crop plant. As described herein, the isolated MON 201510strain has been shown to positively impact resistance of soybean plantsto soybean Sudden Death Syndrome (“SDS”). Thus, compositions areprovided comprising the isolated MON 201510 and closely related strainsfor use in association with a crop plant, plant part or seed, or to agrowth medium or soil associated with a crop plant, plant part or plantseed, as further provided herein to increase resistance to one or morefungal diseases, such as SDS or Fusarium diseases.

As used herein, the terms “resistance” and “increased resistance” of aplant in reference to a plant pathogen, or a plant disease caused by aplant pathogen, with a microbial strain or isolate provided herein,include any mode of action (and combinations thereof) that reduces (i)infection of a plant by a plant pathogen, and/or (ii) plant diseaseseverity or symptoms due to the plant pathogen, relative to an untreatedcontrol plant, which may be due to, or caused by, for example, (a)induction of increased disease resistance or tolerance of the plant bythe microbial strain or isolate, (b) production of fungicidal or otherantagonistic compounds against the pathogen by the microbial strain orisolate, and/or (c) exclusion or reduction of the plant pathogen fromplant host tissues by the microbial strain or isolate. Thus, as usedherein the terms “resistance” and “increased resistance” of a plant,with a microbial strain or isolate provided herein, and in reference to,for example, a plant pathogen, fungal pathogen, Fusarium, plant disease,fungal disease or SDS, are intended to include any manner and mode ofreduction in plant disease severity or symptom(s), and/or any reductionin the infection of the plant by the plant pathogen, as determined byany measurement or observation, regardless of the mode(s) of action.

Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) is a serious disease in many commercialsoybean production areas, for instance in both North and South America,causing significant yield losses. SDS is caused by Fusarium fungalspecies as known in the art, such as F. virguliforme in North Americaand F. brasiliense, F. cuneirostrum, F. tucumaniae, and F. virguliformein South America. By the time the pathogen is detected in a soybeancrop, damage to plant vigor and yield may be irreversible due tosymptoms including necrosis, chlorosis, wilting, and death. The presentdisclosure therefore represents a significant advance in the art byproviding microbial strains or isolates conferring increased resistanceor tolerance to a soil borne pathogens including for example Fusarium,Pythium, Phytophthora, and Rhizoctonia. In particular, microbial strainsor isolates are effective in conferring to a plant increased diseaseresistance or tolerance to diseases including soybean SDS caused byfungal and/or Fusarium pathogens, such as Fusarium virguliforme (Fv),Fusarium brasiliense, Fusarium cuneirostrum, Fusarium phaseoli and/orFusarium tucumaniae, or more particularly Fusarium virguliforme.

Thus, in one embodiment a composition comprising MON 201510 or relatedmicrobial strain or isolate as provided herein may be used to impartdisease resistance or tolerance of a crop plant, such as soybean, tosoybean SDS caused by a Fusarium species or pathogen, such as Fusariumvirguliforme (Fv), Fusarium brasiliense, Fusarium cuneirostrum, Fusariumphaseoli and/or Fusarium tucumaniae, or more particularly Fusariumvirguliforme. Accordingly, a composition comprising a strain or isolateof the present disclosure may be applied to, and/or associated with, aplant, plant part or seed to confer resistance or tolerance to soybeanSDS and/or a Fusarium-causing disease.

Other examples of soil borne diseases of soybean include Charcoal Rot,Fusarium Root Rot, Brown Stem Rot, Soybean Stem Canker, Pythium RootRot, Phytophthora Root Rot, Rhizoctonia Root Rot, and Charcoal Rot.Increased disease resistance or tolerance as a result of treatment withthe microbial strains and isolates provided herein may protect cropplants from disease-associated yield losses. Plants treated with themicrobial strains or isolates provided herein may exhibit decreaseddisease severity compared to an untreated control plant, and as a resultsuperior performance under disease pressure, such as from SDS, comparedto a control plant not treated with the microbial strain or isolate. Theisolated MON 201510 strain provided herein has been shown to positivelyimpact resistance of soybean plants to an early seedling disease causedby the pathogen, Pythium irregular. Thus one embodiment is a compositioncomprising the MON 201510 or related microbial strain or isolate asprovided herein that may be used to impart disease resistance ortolerance of a crop plant, such as soybean, to an early seedling diseasecaused by a Pythium species or pathogen, such as Pythium irregular. Inone embodiment, a composition comprising a strain or isolate may beapplied to, and/or associated with, a plant, plant part or seed toconfer resistance or tolerance to a Pythium-causing disease.

Compositions in one embodiment may comprise a Pseudomonas strain orisolate that is closely related to the isolated Pseudomonas chlororaphisstrain designated MON 201510 and deposited under ATCC accession numberPTA-123716 and having similar characteristic(s) in relation to a cropplant, such as the ability to impart the same or similar positiveagricultural trait or benefit to the crop plant when applied to orassociated with the crop plant. Sequencing and comparison of the 16SrRNA-encoding DNA (16S rDNA) sequence is a method that has been used fordetermining the phylogeny or taxonomy of a microbial strain or isolate,which may also be used to define closely related microbial species,strains or isolates. Thus, the percent identity between the 16S rDNAsequences of two or more different microbial or bacterial strains orisolates may be used to indicate their relatedness to a particular knowntaxonomy, with a higher percent identity indicating a closerrelationship between the two or more microbial strains or isolates. Ahigh degree of similarity or relatedness between two closely relatedmicrobial strains or isolates may also indicate a similar ability toimpart the same or similar positive agricultural trait or benefit to acrop plant. Thus, according to some embodiments, compositions areprovided comprising a Pseudomonas strain or isolate, such as aPseudomonas chlororaphis strain or isolate, that is closely related tothe isolated MON 201510 strain and has a 16S rDNA sequence with a highpercentage identity to the 16S rDNA sequence of the isolated MON 201510strain (SEQ ID NO: 1), such as at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%,at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identity tothe 16S rDNA sequence of the isolated MON 201510 strain (SEQ ID NO: 1),for use in association with a crop plant, plant part or seed, such as asoybean plant, plant part or seed, as further provided herein.

Without being bound by theory, a closely related Pseudomonas strain orisolate having an identical or nearly identical genomic and/or 16Ssequence as compared to the deposited MON 201510 strain may generally beexpected to have similar characteristic(s) in relation to a crop plant,such as the ability to impart or confer the same or similar positiveagricultural trait or benefit to the crop plant, when applied to orassociated with the crop plant. Indeed, a number of mutations in thegenomic and/or 16S sequence of a Pseudomonas microbe relative to the MON201510 strain would likely be inert with respect to its ability toimpart or confer the same or similar positive agricultural trait orbenefit, such as SDS resistance or tolerance, to a crop plant.

Given that two or more closely related microbial strains or isolates aremore likely to impart or confer the same or similar positiveagricultural trait or benefit to a crop plant when associated with orapplied to the crop plant, a closely related Pseudomonas strain orisolate, such as a related Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain or isolate,that imparts or confers the same or similar positive agricultural traitor benefit to a crop plant as the isolated MON 201510 strain, may have ahigher 16S rDNA sequence identity, such as at least 99.9%, at least99.95%, or 100% identity, to the 16S rDNA sequence of the isolated MON201510 strain (SEQ ID NO: 1).

Sequencing and comparison of aligned whole (or partial) genome sequencesof microbial strains or isolates may also be used to determine thephylogeny, taxonomy or classification of the microbial strain orisolate, which may be used to further define closely related microbialspecies, strains or isolates. Given the large sequence length forcomparison, whole (or partial) genome sequences of two or more microbialstrains or isolates may provide a degree of specificity and relatednessbetween the two or more microbial strains as opposed to other sequencecomparisons. Accordingly, the aligned percent identity between the whole(or partial) genomic sequences of two or more different microbial orbacterial strains or isolates may be used to indicate their relatednessto each other, with a higher percent identity indicating a closerrelationship between the two or more strains or isolates. Many mutationsand differences in genomic sequence of a closely related Pseudomonasstrain or isolate relative to the isolated MON 201510 Pseudomonas strainmay be functionally inert, and thus may not change the characteristicsor ability of the closely related Pseudomonas strain to impart or conferthe positive agricultural trait or benefit to a crop plant. Thus,according to many embodiments, compositions are provided comprising aPseudomonas strain or isolate, such as a Pseudomonas chlororaphis strainor isolate, that is closely related to the isolated MON 201510 strainand has a whole (or partial) genome sequence with a high percentageidentity to the corresponding whole (or partial) genome sequence of theisolated MON 201510 strain deposited under ATCC accession numberPTA-123716, such as at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least 99.2%, atleast 99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%,at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identity tothe whole (or partial) genome sequence of the isolated MON 201510strain, and/or to the which may be used in association with, and/orapplied to, a crop plant, plant part or seed, such as a dicot or soybeanplant, plant part or seed, to impart or confer a positive trait orbenefit to a crop plant. With regard to sequence comparisons between thegenomic or 16S rDNA sequences of two or more microbial strains, the term“corresponding” refers to the optimally aligned sequence. Thus, agenomic sequence of a first microbial strain would “correspond” to agenomic sequence of a second microbial strain if the genomic sequence ofthe first microbial strain is most optimally aligned with the genomicsequence of the second microbial strain relative to all other genomicsequences of the first microbial strain.

A microbial strain or isolate may include a naturally occurringPseudomonas strain or isolate, or a non-naturally occurring and/ormutant strain having one or more mutations, deletions, additions,insertions, rearrangements, etc., relative to the genomic and/or 16SrDNA sequence of the isolated MON 201510 strain.

The terms “percent identity”, “% identity” or “percent identical” asused herein in reference to two or more nucleotide or protein sequencesis calculated by (i) comparing two optimally aligned sequences over awindow of comparison, (ii) determining the number of positions at whichthe identical nucleic acid base (for nucleotide sequences) or amino acidresidue (for proteins) occurs in both sequences to yield the number ofmatched positions, (iii) dividing the number of matched positions by thetotal number of positions in the window of comparison, and (iv)multiplying this quotient by 100% to yield the percent identity. If the“percent identity” is being calculated in relation to a referencesequence without a particular comparison window being specified, thenthe percent identity is determined by dividing the number of matchedpositions over the region of alignment by the total length of thereference sequence. Accordingly, as used herein, when two sequences(query and subject) are optimally aligned (with allowance for gaps intheir alignment), the “percent identity” for the query sequence is equalto the number of identical positions between the two sequences dividedby the total number of positions in the query sequence over its length(or a comparison window), which is then multiplied by 100%. In additionto sequence identity or similarity, a closely related Pseudomonasmicrobial strain or isolate may be further defined as being able toimpart or confer a positive trait or benefit to a crop plant, such asincreased disease resistance, including increased resistance to SDS.

A microbial strain or isolate that is associated with, or applied to, aplant, plant part or plant seed as described herein may be defined asbeing heterologous or heterologously applied in relation to the plant,plant part or plant seed. The terms “heterologous” or heterologouslyapplied” in relation to a plant, plant part or plant seed, or a growthmedium or soil, refers to a microbial strain or isolate that is notdetectably present on or in such plant, plant part or plant seed, or insuch growth medium or soil, in nature and prior to the microbial strainor isolate being associated with, or applied to, the plant, plant partor plant seed or the growth medium or soil. Thus, according to someembodiments, compositions are provided comprising a microbial strain orisolate associated with a plant, plant part or plant seed, such as adicot or soybean plant, wherein the microbial strain or isolate isheterologous with respect to the plant, plant part or plant seed.According to some embodiments, compositions are provided comprising amicrobial strain or isolate associated with a plant growth medium orsoil, wherein the growth medium or soil is heterologous with respect tothe microbial strain or isolate. Methods are provided wherein amicrobial strain or isolate may be heterologously applied to a plant,plant part or plant seed, such as a dicot plant, including a soybeanplant. Methods are also provided wherein a microbial strain or isolatemay be heterologously applied to a growth medium or soil. Such amicrobial strain or isolate may be heterologously applied to a growthmedium or soil at, near or surrounding a plant, plant part or plantseed, or at, near or surrounding where a plant part or plant seed willbe planted in the growth medium or soil.

In addition to sequence identity or similarity, a closely relatedPseudomonas microbial strain or isolate may be further defined as beingable to impart or confer a positive trait or benefit to a crop plant,such as increased yield, growth, stress tolerance, and/or fungal or SDSdisease tolerance or resistance of the plant. A closely relatedPseudomonas microbial strain or isolate may also have similarbiochemical, molecular, secretory or metabolic characteristics oractivities.

Cultures of microorganisms may be prepared for use in microbialcompositions herein using any standard or known static drying or liquidfermentation techniques known in the art. Optimal conditions for thecultivation of microorganisms may depend upon the particular strain. Aperson skilled in the art would be able to determine the appropriatenutrients and conditions. The microorganisms may be grown in aerobicliquid cultures on media which contain sources of carbon, nitrogen, andinorganic salts that can be assimilated by the microorganism andsupportive of efficient cell growth. Carbon sources may include hexoses,such as glucose, and other sources that are readily assimilated such asamino acids, may be used. Many inorganic and proteinaceous materials maybe used as nitrogen sources in the growth process. Nitrogen sources mayinclude amino acids and urea, as well as ammonia, inorganic salts ofnitrate and ammonium, vitamins, purines, pyrimidines, yeast extract,beef extract, proteose peptone, soybean meal, hydrolysates of casein,distiller's solubles, and the like. Among the inorganic minerals thatcan be incorporated into the nutrient medium are the salts capable ofyielding calcium, zinc, iron, manganese, magnesium, copper, cobalt,potassium, sodium, molybdate, phosphate, sulfate, chloride, borate, andlike ions.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, compositions areprovided comprising various formulations of a microbial or bacterialstrain or isolate as provided herein. Such formulations may includevarious salts, fillers, binders, solvents, carriers, excipients,adjuvants, and/or other components or ingredients, such as furtherdescribed below. The amount and concentration of each component in acomposition of the present disclosure may depend on many factors, suchas the type, size and volume of material to which the composition willbe applied, the type(s) of microorganisms in the composition, the numberof microorganisms in the composition, the stability of themicroorganisms in the composition, storage conditions (e.g.,temperature, relative humidity, duration), etc. One skilled in the artwould understand how to determine acceptable, effective and appropriateamounts and concentrations for various formulation components ofmicrobial compositions of the present disclosure. In some embodiments,compositions of the present disclosure may comprise one or more carriersin an amount/concentration of about 1 to about 99% or more (by weight orvolume based on the total weight or volume of the composition). Forexample, compositions of the present disclosure may comprise one or morecarriers and/or other components in an amount or concentration of about1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60,65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 or 99.5% ormore (by weight or volume). The microbial strain or isolate may bepresent in a composition or formulation in any suitable form(s).

Compositions and formulations may comprise a pure or substantially purepopulation or culture of a microbial strain or isolate described herein.A pure population or culture of a microbial strain or isolate refers toa population or culture of that strain or isolate that is free oressentially free of contamination of other microorganisms, such that thepopulation or culture has sufficient genetic uniformity in terms ofsequence identity, and different subcultures taken therefrom willexhibit substantially identical phenotypes and/or effects onagricultural crop plants. According to some embodiments, a microbialstrain or isolate may be “purified,” and the purified microbial strainor isolate may be combined with one or more other ingredients to form acomposition or formulation. Any suitable method known in the art may beused to isolate and/or purify a particular microbial strain or isolateto form a pure or substantially pure population or culture of themicrobial strain or isolate, such as by colony or clonal selection.Alternatively, the microbial strain or isolate may be mixed with othermicroorganisms to varying extents or proportions. According to someembodiments, the microbial strain or isolate may be present in acomposition or formulation in an amount or concentration that is between10-30%, 10-40%, 10-50%, 20-40%, 30-50%, greater than 50%, greater than60%, greater than 70%, greater than 80%, greater than 90%, greater than95%, greater than 96%, greater than 97%, greater than 98%, greater than99%, or greater than 99.5% of the total population of microorganismspresent in the composition or formulation. A composition comprises a“substantially pure” population or culture of a microbial strain orisolate if the strain or isolate accounts for greater than 95% of thetotal population of microorganisms present in the composition, such thatat least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, atleast 99.5%, at least 99.9%, or at least 99.95% of the subcultures takentherefrom exhibit identical genotypes and phenotypes. A compositioncomprises a “pure” population or culture of a microbial strain orisolate if the strain or isolate accounts for 100% of the totalpopulation of microorganisms present in the composition, such that 100%of the subcultures taken therefrom exhibit identical genotypes andphenotypes.

According to some embodiments, compositions and formulations maycomprise an “effective amount”, “effective concentration”, and/or“effective dosage” of a microbial strain or isolate to impart a positivetrait or benefit to a crop plant, such as increased disease resistanceor other traits, when used in association with the crop plant. Theeffective amount/concentration/dosage of the microbial strain or isolatemay depend on a number of factors, such as the type, size and volume ofseeds or plant material to which the composition or formulation will beapplied, the magnitude of the desired benefit, trait or effect, thestability of the microbe in the composition or formulation or whenapplied to a plant, plant part or plant seed, the identity and amountsof other ingredients in the composition or formulation, the manner ofapplication to a seed, plant material, soil or growth medium, and therelevant storage conditions (e.g., temperature, relative humidity,duration of storage, lighting, etc.). Those skilled in the art maydetermine an effective amount/concentration/dosage using dose-responseexperiments or other known method.

According to some embodiments, a microbial strain or isolate may bepresent in a composition at an amount or concentration ranging fromabout 1×10¹ to about 1×10¹⁵ colony forming units (cfu) per gram ormilliliter. For example, a microbial strain or isolate may be present ina composition at an amount or concentration of at least 1×10¹, at least1×10², at least 1×10³, at least 1×10⁴, at least 1×10⁵, at least 1×10⁶,at least 1×10⁷, at least 1×10⁸, at least 1×10⁹, at least 1×10¹⁰, atleast 1×10¹¹, at least 1×10¹², at least 1×10¹³, at least 1×10¹⁴, or atleast 1×10¹⁵ (or more) cfu per gram or milliliter of the composition. Asused herein, the term “colony forming unit” or “cfu” refers to amicrobial cell or spore capable of propagating on or in a suitablegrowth medium or substrate (e.g., a soil) when conditions (e.g.,temperature, moisture, nutrient availability, pH, etc.) are favorablefor germination and/or microbial growth.

According to further embodiments, a microbial strain or isolate may bepresent in a composition in an amount or concentration that is within arange from about 0.1% to 100% (by weight) of the composition, or fromabout 0.1% to about 90%, or from about 1% to about 90%, or from about0.1% to about 80%, or from about 0.1% to about 70%, or from about 0.1%to about 60%, or from about 0.1% to about 50%, or from about 0.1% toabout 40%, or from about 0.1% to about 30%, or from about 0.1% to about20% (by weight) of the composition. For example, a microbial strain orisolate may be present in an amount or concentration that is about 0.1%,0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7%, 0.8%, 0.9%, 1%, 1.25%, 1.5%, 1.75%,2%, 2.25%, 2.5%, 2.75%, 3%, 3.25%, 3.5%, 3.75%, 4%, 4.25%, 4.5%, 4.75%,5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%,20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%,50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99%or more (by weight) of the composition. According to some embodiments,the amount/concentration of the microbial strain or isolate is about 1%to about 25%, about 5% to about 20%, about 5% to about 15%, about 5% toabout 10%, or about 8% to about 12% (by weight) of the composition.

Compositions may comprise an isolated microbial strain or isolatedescribed herein. A microbial strain has been “isolated” if it has beenremoved and/or purified from the environment. Such an “isolated”microbial strain may be the isolated MON 201510 strain, a representativesample of which is deposited under ATCC accession number PTA-123716 orany functional variant thereof. Similarly, an “isolate” is a particularmicrobial strain that has been removed and/or purified from its naturalenvironment. A “functional variant” of a microbial strain or isolate,such as the MON 201510 isolate, may be defined as a strain or progenythereof having high sequence identity (e.g., at least 99.5% or at least99.9% identity (or greater) to the 16S rDNA sequence and/or at least 99%identity (or greater) to the whole (or partial) genomic sequence of themicrobial strain or isolate, such as the MON 201510 strain, as describedabove) and having or exhibiting the same or similar functionalcharacteristics as the microbial strain or isolate, such as the isolatedMON 201510 strain. For example, similar to the isolated MON 201510strain, a functional variant may impart or confer a positive trait orbenefit to a crop plant, such as increased disease resistance, yield,growth and/or stress tolerance of the plant, and/or increased nutrientuptake by the plant itself or via increased nutrient availability and/orimproved soil characteristics. Such a functional variant may exhibit thesame or similar functional characteristic to the same or lesser extentor degree, such as at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least98%, at least 99% or 100% of the extent or degree of the functionalcharacteristic, relative to the isolated MON 201510 strain.

Compositions in some embodiments may comprise a modified microbialstrain. As used herein, the term “modified microbial strain” refers to amicrobial strain that is modified from a strain or isolate providedherein. Modified microbial strains may be produced by any suitablemethod(s), including, but not limited to, an induced mutation includingbut not limited to a chemically induced mutation, to a polynucleotidewithin any genome of the strain or isolate; an insertion or deletion ofone or more nucleotides within any genome within the strain or isolate,or combinations thereof; an inversion of at least one segment of DNAwithin any genome within the strain or isolate; a rearrangement of anygenome within the strain or isolate; a generalized or specifictransduction of homozygous or heterozygous polynucleotide segments intoany genome within the strain or isolate; an introduction of one or morephage into any genome of the strain or isolate; a transformation of anystrain or isolate resulting in the introduction into the strain orisolate of stably and autonomously replicating extrachromosomal DNA; anychange to any genome or to the total DNA composition within the strainor isolate as a result of conjugation with any different microbialstrain; and any combination of the foregoing. The term “modifiedmicrobial strain” includes a strain or isolate with (a) one or moreheterologous nucleotide sequences, (b) one or more non-naturallyoccurring copies of a nucleotide sequence isolated from nature (i.e.,additional copies of a gene that naturally occurs in the microbialstrain from which the modified microbial strain was derived), (c) a lackof one or more nucleotide sequences that would otherwise be present inthe natural reference strain by for example deleting nucleotidesequence, and (d) added extrachromosomal DNA. In some embodiments, a“modified microbial strain” comprises a combination of two or morenucleotide sequences (e.g., two or more naturally occurring genes thatdo not naturally occur in the same microbial strain or isolate) orcomprise a nucleotide sequence isolated from nature at a locus that isdifferent from the natural locus.

Compositions of the present disclosure may further comprise anagriculturally acceptable carrier in combination with the microbialstrain or isolate. As used herein, the term “agriculturally acceptable”in reference to a carrier, material, ingredient or substance of amicrobial composition comprising a microbial strain or isolate meansthat the carrier, material, ingredient or substance, as the case may be,(i) is compatible with other ingredients of the microbial composition atleast for the purpose in which the microbial composition will be used,(ii) can be included in the microbial composition to effectively andviably deliver the microbial strain or isolate to a plant, plant part,plant seed, or plant growth medium (e.g., soil), (iii) is not normallyassociated with the microbial strain or isolate in nature (at least inthe form in which it will be used), and (iv) is not deleterious to aplant, plant part, or plant seed to which the composition will beassociated or applied (at least in the manner and amount in which itwill be applied to, or associated with, the plant, plant part, or plantseed).

A “carrier” is defined as any substance or material that may be usedand/or combined with a microbial strain or isolate to improve thedelivery or effectiveness of the microbial strain or isolate to a plant,plant part, or plant seed. An agriculturally acceptable carrier mayinclude a soil-compatible carrier, a seed-compatible carrier, and/or afoliar-compatible carrier. As used herein, the term “soil-compatiblecarrier” refers to a material that can be added or applied to a soilwithout causing/having an unduly adverse effect on plant yield, soilstructure, soil drainage, or the like. The term “seed-compatiblecarrier” refers to a material that can be added or applied to a seedwithout causing/having an unduly adverse effect on the seed, seedgermination, the plant that grows from the seed, or the like. The term“foliar-compatible carrier” refers to a material that can be added orapplied to an above ground portion of a plant or plant part withoutcausing/having an unduly adverse effect on plant yield, plant health, orthe like. Selection of appropriate carrier materials will depend on theintended application(s) and the microorganism(s) present in thecomposition. The carrier material(s) may be selected and/or combined toprovide a composition or formulation in the form of a liquid, gel,slurry, or solid. Compositions in some embodiments may comprise one ormore liquid and/or gel carriers, and/or one or more aqueous and/ornon-aqueous solvents. As used herein, the term “non-aqueous” may referto a composition, solvent or substance that comprises no more than atrace amount of water (e.g., no more than 0.5% water by weight).

According to some embodiments, compositions may be in solid or powderform and/or comprise one or more solid carriers. For example,compositions may comprise one or more powders (e.g., wettable powders)and/or granules. Non-limiting examples of solid carriers that can beuseful in compositions of the present disclosure include peat-basedpowders and granules, freeze-dried powders, spray-dried powders, andcombinations thereof.

Additional examples of carriers that can be included in compositions ofthe present disclosure can be found in Burges, H. D., Formulation ofMicrobial Biopesticides: Beneficial Microorganisms, Nematodes and SeedTreatments, Springer Science & Business Media (2012); and Inoue &Horikoshi, J. FERMENTATION BIOENG. 71(3):194 (1991), the content anddisclosure of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Compositions in some embodiments may be in liquid or gel form and/orcomprise one or more liquid and/or gel carriers. Agriculturallyacceptable carriers in compositions or formulations may comprise agrowth medium or broth suitable for culturing one or more of themicroorganisms in the composition. For example, compositions maycomprise a Czapek-Dox medium, a glycerol yeast extract, a mannitol yeastextract, a potato dextrose broth, and/or a YEM media. Commercialcarriers may be used in accordance with a manufacturer's recommendedamounts or concentrations.

Compositions may comprise one or more various solvents, such as organic,inorganic, non-aqueous and/or aqueous solvent(s). Examples of inorganicsolvents include decane, dodecane, hexylether, and nonane. Examples ofcommercially available organic solvents include pentadecane, ISOPAR M,ISOPAR V, and ISOPAR L (Exxon Mobil). Additional examples of solventsthat may be included in compositions and formulations can be found inBurges, supra; Inoue & Horikoshi, supra, the contents and disclosures ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference. According to someembodiments, an aqueous solvent, such as water, may be combined with aco-solvent, such as ethyl lactate, methyl soyate/ethyl lactateco-solvent blends (e.g., STEPOSOL, available from Stepan), isopropanol,acetone, 1,2-propanediol, n-alkylpyrrolidones (e.g., the AGSOLEX series,available from ISP), a petroleum based-oil (e.g., AROMATIC series andSOLVESSO series available from Exxon Mobil), isoparaffinic fluids (e.g.,ISOPAR series, available from Exxon Mobil), cycloparaffinic fluids(e.g., NAPPAR 6, available from Exxon Mobil), mineral spirits (e.g.,VARSOL series available from Exxon Mobil), and mineral oils (e.g.,paraffin oil). According to some embodiments, compositions may compriseone or more co-solvent(s) in addition to an aqueous solvent or water.Such co-solvent(s) may include, for example, non-aqueous solvents, suchas one or more the foregoing non-aqueous solvents.

According to some embodiments, compositions including formulations mayhave a desired pH in a range from about 4.5 to about 9.5. Compositionsof the present disclosure may comprise any suitable pH buffer(s) knownin the art. For example, compositions may have a pH in a range fromabout 6 to about 8, or a pH of about 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8 or 8.5.To maintain a desired pH, a composition in some embodiments may compriseone or more buffers in a buffer solution. pH buffers may be selected toprovide an aqueous composition having a pH of less than 10, typicallyfrom about 4.5 to about 9.5, from about 6 to about 8, or about 7. Buffersolutions suitable for a variety of pH ranges are known in the art.

Compositions may comprise one or more thickeners, rheology modifyingagents, or stabilizing agents (“stabilizers”). Examples of stabilizersinclude anionic polysaccharides and cellulose derivatives. A stabilizermay comprise, for example, a clay, a silica, or a colloidal hydrophilicsilica. Non-limiting examples of commercially available stabilizersinclude KELZAN CC (Kelco), methyl cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose and2-hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, kaolin, maltodextrin,malt extract, microcrystalline cellulose, and hygroscopic polymers. Anon-limiting example of a commercially available colloidal hydrophilicsilica is AEROSIL (Evonik). A stabilizer may also include amonosaccharide, disaccharide or sugar alcohol, such as maltose,trehalose, lactose, sucrose, cellobiose, mannitol, xylitol, or sorbitol,and any combination thereof. A stabilizer component may comprise fromabout 0.05% to about 10% by weight of a composition. For example, astabilizer component may comprise from about 0.1% to about 5%, fromabout 0.1% to about 2%, or from about 0.1% to about 1% by weight of acomposition.

Compositions of the present disclosure may comprise any suitableanti-settling agent(s), including, but not limited to, polyvinylacetate, polyvinyl alcohols with different degrees of hydrolysis,polyvinylpyrrolidones, polyacrylates, acrylate-, polyol- orpolyester-based paint system binders, which are soluble or dispersiblein water, co-polymers of two or more monomers, such as acrylic acid,methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, maleicanhydride, vinylpyrrolidone, ethylenically unsaturated monomers, such asethylene, butadiene, isoprene, chloroprene, styrene, divinylbenzene,ot-methylstyrene or p-methylstyrene, vinyl halides, such as vinylchloride and vinylidene chloride, vinyl esters, such as vinyl acetate,vinyl propionate or vinyl stearate, vinyl methyl ketones or esters ofacrylic acid or methacrylic acid with monohydric alcohols or polyols,such as methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, ethylenemethacrylate, lauryl acrylate, lauryl methacrylate, decyl acrylate,N,N-dimethylamino-ethyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate,2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate or glycidyl methacrylate, diethyl esters ormonoesters of unsaturated dicarboxylic acids,(meth)acrylamido-N-methylol methyl ether, amides or nitriles, such asacrylamide, methacrylamide, N-methylol(meth)acrylamide, acrylonitrile,methacrylonitrile, N-substituted maleiraides, and ethers, such as vinylbutyl ether, vinyl isobutyl ether or vinyl phenyl ether, andcombinations thereof.

Compositions in some embodiments may comprise one or more oxidationcontrol components, which may include one or more antioxidants (e.g.,one or more of: ascorbic acid, ascorbyl palmitate, ascorbyl stearate,calcium ascorbate, carotenoids, lipoic acid, phenolic compounds (e.g.,one or more flavonoids, flavones and/or flavonols), potassium ascorbate,sodium ascorbate, one or more thiols (e.g., glutathione, lipoic acidand/or N-acetyl cysteine), tocopherols, one or more tocotrienols,ubiquinone and/or uric acid) and/or one or more oxygen scavengers, suchas ascorbic acid and/or sodium hydrogen carbonate.

Composition in some embodiments may comprise one or more UV protectants,such as one or more aromatic amino acids (e.g., tryptophan, tyrosine),carotenoids, cinnamates, lignosulfonates (e.g., calcium lignosulfonate,sodium lignosulfonate), melanins, mycosporines, polyphenols and/orsalicylates). Non-limiting examples of UV protectants include BorregaardLignoTech™ lignosulfonates (e.g., Borresperse 3A, Borresperse CA,Borresperse NA, Marasperse AG, Norlig A, Norlig 11D, Ufoxane 3A,Ultrazine NA, Vanisperse CB; Borregaard Lignotech, Sarpsborg, Norway)and combinations thereof. See, for example, BURGES, FORMULATION OFMICROBIAL BIOPESTICIDES: BENEFICIAL MICROORGANISMS, NEMATODES AND SEEDTREATMENTS (Springer Science & Business Media) (2012).

Compositions in some embodiments may comprise one or more agriculturallyacceptable polymers, such as agar, alginate, carrageenan, cellulose,guar gum, locust bean gum, methylcellulose, pectin, polycaprolactone,polylactide, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, sodiumcarboxymethyl cellulose, starch and/or xanthan gum. In an aspect, theone or more polymers is a natural polymer (e.g., agar, starch, alginate,pectin, cellulose, etc.), a synthetic polymer, a biodegradable polymer(e.g., polycaprolactone, polylactide, polyvinyl alcohol, etc.), or acombination thereof. For a non-limiting list of polymers useful for thecompositions described herein, see, e.g., Pouci et al., Am. J. Agri. &Biol. Sci., 3(1):299-314 (2008), the content and disclosure of which areincorporated herein by reference.

Compositions in some embodiments may comprise one or more agriculturallyacceptable dispersants, which may include one or more surfactants and/orwetting agents. Dispersants may be used to maintain a homogeneous oreven distribution of particles or cells in a suspension, such as an evenor homogeneous distribution of a microbial strain or isolate, which maybe particularly useful for solid or dried formulations of a microbeand/or liquid formulations or fermentates. In addition to maintaining aneven distribution of the microbe in a final composition or formulationand during application of a composition or formulation to a plant, plantpart or plant seed, a dispersant or wetting agent may also facilitatemixing of a microbe with other ingredients and solvents of a microbialformulation or composition and avoid aggregation or clumping ofparticles, or their adherence to container walls, etc., duringformulation of a microbial composition. A dispersant may reduce thecohesiveness of like particles, the surface tension of a liquid, theinterfacial tension between two liquids, and/or the interfacial tensionbetween or a liquid and a solid. Compositions may comprise a primarydispersant in combination with one or more secondary dispersants, andthe primary and secondary dispersants may be different types (e.g.,non-ionic, cationic, anionic, and/or zwitterionic). Wetting agents maybe used with compositions applied to soils, particularly hydrophobicsoils, to improve the infiltration and/or penetration of water into asoil. The wetting agent or dispersant may be an adjuvant, oil,surfactant, buffer, acidifier, or combination thereof. The wetting agentor dispersant may be a surfactant, such as one or more non-ionicsurfactants, one or more cationic surfactants, one or more anionicsurfactants, one or more zwitterionic surfactants, or any combinationthereof.

Selection of an appropriate dispersant(s) will depend on the intendedapplication(s) and the microorganism(s) present in the composition, butwill typically have little or no toxicity for the microorganism(s) inthe inoculant composition and for the plant part(s) to which thecomposition is to be applied. In some embodiments, the dispersant(s)will be selected to wet and/or emulsify one or more soils. Non-limitingexamples of dispersants include Atlox™ (e.g., 4916, 4991; CrodaInternational PLC, Edison, N.J.), Atlox METASPERSE™ (Croda InternationalPLC, Edison, N.J.), BIO-SOFT® (e.g., N series, such as N1-3, N1-7, N1-5,N1-9, N23-3, N2.3-6.5, N25-3, N25-7, N25-9, N91-2.5, N91-6, N91-8;Stepan Company, Northfield, Ill.), MAKON® nonionic surfactants (e.g.,DA-4, DA-6 and DA-9; Stepan Company, Northfield, Ill.), MORWET® powders(Akzo Nobel Surface Chemistry LLC, Chicago, Ill.), MULTIWET™ surfactants(e.g., MO-85P-PW-(AP); Croda International PLC, Edison, N.J.), SILWET®L-77 (Helena Chemical Company, Collierville, Tenn.), SPAN™ surfactants(e.g., 20, 40, 60, 65, 80 and 85; Croda Inc., Edison N.J.), TAMOL™dispersants (The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich.), TERGITOL™surfactants (e.g., TMN-6 and TMN-100X; The Dow Chemical Company,Midland, Mich.), TERSPERSE surfactants (e.g., 2001, 2020, 2100, 2105,2158, 2700, 4894 and 4896; Hunstman Corp., The Woodlands, Tex.), TRITON™surfactants (e.g., X-100; The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich.),TWEEN® surfactants (e.g., TWEEN® 20, 21, 22, 23, 28, 40, 60, 61, 65, 80,81 and 85; Croda International PLC, Edison, N.J.), and combinationsthereof. Non-limiting examples of wetting agents include naphthalenesulfonates, alkyl naphthalene sulfonates (e.g., sodium alkyl naphthalenesulfonate), isopropyl naphthalene sulfonates (e.g., sodium isopropylnaphthalene sulfonate) and/or butyl naphthalene sulfonates (e.g., sodiumn-butyl naphthalene sulfonate). Additional examples of dispersants maybe found in BAIRD & ZUBLENA. 1993. SOIL FACTS: USING WETTING AGENTS(NONIONIC SURFACTANTS) ON SOIL (North Carolina Cooperative ExtensionService Publication AG-439-25) (1993); BURGES, FORMULATION OF MICROBIALBIOPESTICIDES: BENEFICIAL MICROORGANISMS, NEMATODES AND SEED TREATMENTS(Springer Science & Business Media) (2012); and MCCARTY, WETTING AGENTS(Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service Publication) (2001).

Non-limiting examples of anionic surfactants include one or more alkylcarboxylates (e.g., sodium stearate), alcohol ether carboxylates, phenolether carboxylates, alkyl sulfates (e.g., alkyl lauryl sulfate and/orsodium lauryl sulfate), alkyl ether sulfates, alcohol sulfates, alcoholether sulfates, alkyl amido ether sulfates, alkyl aryl ether sulfates,alkyl aryl polyether sulfates, alkyl aryl sulfates, alkyl arylsulfonates, alkyl sulfonates, alkyl amide sulfonates, aryl sulfonates,alkyl benzene sulfonates, alkyl diphenyloxide sulfonate, alpha-olefinsulfonates, alkyl naphthalene sulfonates, paraffin sulfonates,sulfosuccinates, alkyl sulfosuccinates, alkyl ether sulfosuccinates,alkylamide sulfosuccinates, mono- or disulfosuccinate esters of alcoholsor polyalkoxylated alkanols, alkyl sulfosuccinamate, alkylsulfoacetates, alkyl phosphates, alkyl ether phosphates, mono- ordiphosphate esters of polyalkoxylated alkyl alcohols or alkyl phenols,acyl sarconsinates, acyl isethionates, N-acyl taurates,N-acyl-N-alkyltaurates, benzene sulfonates, cumene sulfonates, dioctylsodium sulfosuccinate, ethoxylated sulfosuccinates, lignin sulfonates,linear alkylbenzene sulfonates, monoglyceride sulfates,perfluorobutanesulfonate, perfluorooctanesulfonate, phosphate ester,toluene sulfonates and/or xylene sulfonates), ionic surfactants (e.g.,one or more ethers, glycol ethers, ethanolamides, sulfoanylamides,alcohols, amides, alcohol ethoxylates, glycerol esters, glycol esters,ethoxylates of glycerol ester and glycol esters, sugar-based alkylpolyglycosides, polyoxyethylenated fatty acids, alkanolaminecondensates, alkanolamides, tertiary acetylenic glycols,polyoxyethylenated mercaptans, carboxylic acid esters,polyoxyethylenated polyoxyproylene glycols, sorbitan fatty esters,sorbitan fatty acid alcohol ethoxylates and/orsorbitan fatty acid esterethoxylates), nonionic surfactants (e.g., one or more alcoholethoxylates, alkanolamides, alkanolamine condensates, carboxylic acidesters, cetostearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, cocamide DEA,dodecyldimethylamine oxides, ethanolamides, ethoxylates of glycerolester and glycol esters, ethylene oxide polymers, ethyleneoxide-propylene oxide copolymers, glucoside alkyl ethers, glycerol alkylethers (e.g.,), glycerol esters, glycol alkyl ethers (e.g.,polyoxyethylene glycol alkyl ethers, polyoxypropylene glycol alkylethers), glycol alkylphenol ethers (e.g., polyoxyethylene glycolalkylphenol ethers), glycol esters, monolaurin, pentaethylene glycolmonododecyl ethers, poloxamer, polyamines, polyglycerol polyricinoleate,polysorbate, polyoxyethylenated fatty acids, polyoxyethylenatedmercaptans, polyoxyethylenated polyoxyproylene glycols, polyoxyethyleneglycol sorbitan alkyl esters, polyethylene glycol-polypropylene glycolcopolymers, polyoxyethylene glycol octylphenol ethers (e.g., TritonX-100), polyvinyl pynolidones, sugar-based alkyl polyglycosides,sulfoanylamides, sorbitan fatty acid alcohol ethoxylates, sorbitan fattyacid ester ethoxylates, sorbitan fatty acid esters, tertiary acetylenicglycols and/or TWEEN 80), styrene acrylic polymers, modified styreneacrylic polymers and/or zwitterionic surfactants (e.g.,3-[(3-Cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate,cocamidopropyl betaine, cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine,phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine and/orone or more sphingomyelins. Anionic surfactants may be either watersoluble anionic surfactants, water insoluble anionic surfactants, or acombination of water soluble anionic surfactants and water insolubleanionic surfactants.

Other non-limiting examples of commercially available anionicsurfactants include sodium dodecyl sulfate (Na-DS, SDS), MORWET D-425 (asodium salt of alkyl naphthalene sulfonate condensate, available fromAkzo Nobel), MORWET D-500 (a sodium salt of alkyl naphthalene sulfonatecondensate with a block copolymer, available from Akzo Nobel), sodiumdodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (Na-DBSA) (Aldrich), diphenyloxidedisulfonate, naphthalene formaldehyde condensate, DOWFAX (Dow),dihexylsulfosuccinate, and dioctylsulfosuccinate, TWEEN®, alkylnaphthalene sulfonate condensates, and salts thereof.

Non-limiting examples of non-ionic surfactants include sorbitan esters,ethoxylated sorbitan esters, alkoxylated alkylphenols, alkoxylatedalcohols, block copolymer ethers, and lanolin derivatives. In accordancewith an aspect, the surfactant comprises an alkylether block copolymer.Other non-limiting examples of water insoluble nonionic surfactantsinclude alkyl and aryl: glycerol ethers, glycol ethers, ethanolamides,sulfoanylamides, alcohols, amides, alcohol ethoxylates (e.g., TERGITOL™15-S surfactants, such as TERGITOL™15-S-9 (The Dow Chemical Company,Midland, Mich.)), glycerol esters, glycol esters, ethoxylates ofglycerol ester and glycol esters, sugar-based alkyl polyglycosides,polyoxyethylenated fatty acids, alkanolamine condensates, alkanolamides,tertiary acetylenic glycols, polyoxyethylenated mercaptans, carboxylicacid esters, cetostearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, cocamide DEA,dodecyldimethylamine oxides, ethanolamides, ethylene oxide polymers,ethylene oxide-propylene oxide copolymers, glucoside alkyl ethers,glycerol alkyl ethers, glycerol esters, glycol alkyl ethers (e.g.,polyoxyethylene glycol alkyl ethers or polyoxypropylene glycol alkylethers), glycol alkylphenol ethers (e.g., polyoxyethylene glycolalkylphenol ethers), monolaurin, pentaethylene glycol monododecylethers, poloxamer, polyamines, polyglycerol polyricinoleate,polysorbate, polyoxyethylenated fatty acids, polyoxyethylenatedmercaptans, polyoxyethylenated polyoxyproylene glycols, polyoxyethyleneglycol sorbitan alkyl esters, polyethylene glycol-polypropylene glycolcopolymers, polyoxyethylene glycol octylphenol ethers, polyvinylpynolidones, sugar-based alkyl polyglycosides, sulfoanylamides, sorbitanfatty acid alcohol ethoxylates, sorbitan fatty acid ester ethoxylates,sorbitan fatty acid ester and/or tertiary acetylenic glycols,polyoxyethylenated polyoxyproylene glycols, sorbitan fatty esters, orcombinations thereof. Also included are EO/PO block copolymers (EO isethylene oxide, PO is propylene oxide), EO polymers and copolymers,polyamines, and polyvinylpynolidones.

Further non-limiting examples of water soluble non-ionic surfactantsinclude sorbitan fatty acid alcohol ethoxylates and sorbitan fatty acidester ethoxylates. Further non-limiting examples of commerciallyavailable non-ionic surfactants include SPAN 20, SPAN 40, SPAN 80, SPAN65, and SPAN 85 (Aldrich); TWEEN 20, TWEEN 40, TWEEN 60, TWEEN 80, andTWEEN 85 (Aldrich); IGEPAL CA-210, IGEPAL CA-520, IGEPAL CA-720, IGEPALCO-210, IGEPAL CO-520, IGEPAL CO-630, IGEPAL CO-720, IGEPAL CO-890, andIGEPAL DM-970 (available from Aldrich); Triton X-100 (Aldrich); BRIJS10, BRIJ S20, BRIJ 30, BRIJ 52, BRIJ 56, BRIJ 58, BRIJ 72, BRIJ 76,BRIJ 78, BRIJ 92V, BRIJ 97, and BRIJ 98 (Aldrich); PLURONIC L-31,PLURONIC L-35, PLURONIC L-61, PLURONIC L-81, PLURONIC L-64, PLURONICL-121, PLURONIC 10R5, PLURONIC 17R4, and PLURONIC 31R1 (Aldrich); AtlasG-5000 and Atlas G-5002L (Croda); ATLOX 4912 and ATLOX 4912-SF (Croda);and SOLUPLUS (BASF), LANEXOL AWS (Croda). Compositions may comprise atleast one or more nonionic surfactants, such as at least onewater-insoluble nonionic surfactant, at least one water soluble nonionicsurfactant, or combinations thereof. In still another aspect, thecompositions comprise a combination of nonionic surfactants havinghydrocarbon chains of substantially the same length.

Non-limiting examples of cationic surfactants include mono alkylquaternary amine, fatty acid amide surfactants, amidoamine, imidazoline,and polymeric cationic surfactants. According to some embodiments, thecomposition comprises one or more pH-dependent amines, quaternaryammonium cations, alkyltrimethylammonium salts (e.g., cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, cetyl trimethylammonium chloride),cetylpyridinium chloride, benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride,5-Bromo-5-nitro-1,3-dioxane, dimethyldioctadecylammonium chloride,cetrimonium bromide, dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide, and/oroctenidine dihydrochloride, and combinations thereof.

Non-limiting examples of zwitterionic surfactants include one or morebetaines and/or one or more sultaines,3-[(3-Cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate,cocamidopropyl betaine, cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine,phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, andsphingomyelins, and combinations thereof.

Surfactants may also include soaps, organosilicone surfactants, andsilicone-based antifoams used as surfactants in silicone-based andmineral-oil based antifoams. In yet another aspect, compositions mayalso comprise alkali metal salts of fatty acids (e.g., water solublealkali metal salts of fatty acids and/or water insoluble alkali metalsalts of fatty acids).

Compositions in some embodiments may comprise at least 5 g/L, at least10 g/L, at least 15 g/L, at least 20 g/L, at least 25 g/L, at least 30g/L, at least 35 g/L, at least 40 g/L, at least 45 g/L, or at least 50g/L of a dispersant(s). In some embodiments, the dispersant may be fromabout 1 to about 100 g/L, from about 5 to about 75 g/L, or from about 20to about 50 g/L. The amount of dispersants may also be expressed as apercentage by weight of a composition, such as about 0.5% to about 20%,from about 0.5% to about 10%, from about 0.5% to about 5%, from about0.5% to about 8%, from about 0.5% to about 5%, or from about 1% to about4% by weight of the composition.

Compositions in some embodiments may comprise one or more agriculturallyacceptable drying agents or drying powders, such as calcium stearate,one or more clays, graphite, magnesium stearate, magnesium sulfate,powdered milk, one or more silica powders, soy lecithin and/or talc.Other non-limiting examples of drying agents include AEROSIL®hydrophobic fumed silica powders (Evonik Corporation, Parsippany, N.J.),BENTOLITE® powders (BYK-Chemie GmbH, Wesel, Germany), INCOTEC® powders(INCOTEC Inc., Salinas, Calif.), SIPERNAT® silica powders (EvonikCorporation, Parsippany, N.J.) and combinations thereof. Additionalexamples of drying agents may be found in BURGES, FORMULATION OFMICROBIAL BIOPESTICIDES: BENEFICIAL MICROORGANISMS, NEMATODES AND SEEDTREATMENTS (Springer Science & Business Media) (2012).

Compositions in some embodiments may comprise one or more anti-freezingagents. For example, an anti-freezing agent may include one or more ofethylene glycol, alcohol, butanediol, pentanediol, mannitol, sorbitol,glycerol (glycerine), propylene glycol and/or urea. The antifreeze agentmay be present in a composition at a concentration of at least 5 g/L, atleast 10 g/L, at least 15 g/L, at least 20 g/L, at least 30 g/L, atleast 40 g/L, at least 50 g/L, at least 60 g/L, at least 70 g/L, or atleast 80 g/L, such as from about 1 to about 150 g/L, from about 10 toabout 100 g/L, or from about 20 to about 80 g/L.

Compositions in some embodiments may comprise one or more functionalizeddendrimers to enhance the efficacy and/or stability of the composition.Non-limiting examples of classes of functionalized dendrimers includepoly(amidoamine) (PAMAM, Generations 0-7),poly(amidoamine-organosilicone) (PAMAMOS), polypropylene imidine) (PPI,Generations 0-5), poly(benzylethers) (Frechet-type), Arobols (Newkometype), poly(phenylacetylenes) and surface engineered dendrimers (e.g.PEGylated dendrimers, glycodendrimers, peptide functionalizeddendrimers, and galabiose-functionalized dendrimers). Dendrimer(s) maycomprise at least 0.1% and up to 10% or more, or from about 1% to about10%, of the composition by weight.

Compositions in some embodiments may comprise one or more antifoamagents. Examples of antifoam agents include organosilicone orsilicone-free compounds. Non-limiting examples of commercially availableantifoam products include Break-Thru OE441 (Evonik), Break-Thru AF9905(Evonik), AGNIQUE DF 6889 (Cognis), AGNIQUE DFM 111S (Cognis), BYK-016(BYK), FG-10 antifoam emulsion (Dow Corning), 1520-US (Dow Corning),1510-US (Dow Corning), SAG 1538 (Momentive), and SAG 1572 (Momentive).

Compositions in some embodiments may comprise a crystallizationinhibitor(s). Exemplary crystallization inhibitors include acryliccopolymers, polyethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol hydrogenated castoroil, and any combination thereof. The crystallization inhibitor may bepresent, for example, at a concentration from about 1% to about 10% byweight of the composition.

Compositions in some embodiments may comprise one or more viscositymodifying agents and/or seed flowability agents. Examples of viscositymodifying agents include humic acid salts, fulvic acid salts, humin, andlignin salts, such as the sodium or potassium salt of humic acid. Theflowability agent may comprise one or more liquid lubricants, solidlubricants, liquid emulsions, or suspensions of solid lubricants.Non-limiting examples of flowability agents include, for example,lubricants such as fats and oils, natural and synthetic waxes, graphite,talc, fluoropolymers (e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene), and solidlubricants such as molybdenum disulfide and tungsten disulfide. In someinstances, the flowability agent comprises a wax material. Non-limitingexamples of wax materials that can be incorporated into the liquid seedtreatment composition include plant and animal-derived waxes, such ascarnauba wax, candelilla wax, ouricury wax, beeswax, spermaceti, andpetroleum derived waxes, such as paraffin wax. For example, in someinstances, the flowability agent may comprise carnauba wax. In someinstances, the flowability agent may comprise an oil, such as soybeanoil.

Compositions in some embodiments may comprise one or more additionalexcipients that improve the adhesion of the composition to a substrateor surface, such as a plant seed or other plant material, such as toprovide a successful coating of the substrate or surface or otherwiseimpart improved characteristics to the adhesion or coating. Othersubstances may be added to a composition (e.g., coloring agents) toprovide a visual indication of successful coating of the substrate orsurface, such as the outer surface of a plant seed or other plantmaterial.

Compositions of the present disclosure may comprise any suitablepigment(s) or effect pigment(s). Effect pigments, which are sometimesalso referred to in the art as “pearl pigments,” are a class ofmaterials that provide reflectivity, shine, and/or a pearlescent effectwhen applied as a coating. In some instances, the effect pigment is inthe form of a powder comprising a substrate material and a metal oxidecoating. For example, the effect pigment may comprise a substratematerial including but not limited to talc, silicate materials (e.g.,mica), clay minerals, calcium carbonate, kaolin, phlogopite, alumina,and similar substances. In some instances, the substrate materialcomprises a hydrophilic material. The substrate material may be coatedwith a semi-transparent layer of a metal oxide, including but notlimited to titanium dioxide, iron oxide, chromium oxide, or zirconiumoxide. Alternatively, in some instances, the effect pigment comprisesmetal powder or metal flakes. The metal powder or metal flakes maycomprise a metal including, but not limited to aluminum, copper, silver,or bronze. In some instances, the effect pigment comprises a silicatebased substrate. Non-limiting examples of particulate silicates that canbe incorporated into the dry powder coating include mica coated withtitanium dioxide (e.g., SUNMICA FINE WHITE 2800102, which iscommercially available from Sun Chemical Corp.), MAGNA PEARL, LUMINA andMEARLIN pigments from BASF Corporation, PHIBRO PEARL from PhibroChem,and IRIDESIUM 120 from Aakash Chemicals. In some instances, the drypowder effect pigment has a mean particle size of from about 1 to about25 microns.

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate described herein,compositions and formulations in some embodiments may further compriseone or more pesticidal agents. Pesticidal agents include chemicalpesticides and biopesticides or biocontrol agents. Various types ofpesticides include acaricides, insecticides, nematicides, fungicides,gastropodicides, herbicides, virucides, bactericides, and combinationsthereof. Biopesticides or biocontrol agents may include bacteria, fungi,beneficial nematodes, and viruses that exhibit pesticidal activity.Compositions may comprise other agents for pest control, such asmicrobial extracts, plant growth activators, and/or plant defenseagents.

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise one or more chemicalacaricides, insecticides, and/or nematicides. Non-limiting examples ofchemical acaricides, insecticides, and/or nematicides may include one ormore carbamates, diamides, macrocyclic lactones, neonicotinoids,organophosphates, phenylpyrazoles, pyrethrins, spinosyns, syntheticpyrethroids, tetronic acids and/or tetramic acids. Non-limiting examplesof chemical acaricides, insecticides and nematicides that can be usefulin compositions of the present disclosure include abamectin,acrinathrin, aldicarb, aldoxycarb, alpha-cypermethrin, betacyfluthrin,bifenthrin, cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, csfenvalcrate,etofenprox, fenpropathrin, fenvalerate, flucythrinate, fosthiazate,lambda-cyhalothrin, gamma-cyhalothrin, permethrin, tau-fluvalinate,transfluthrin, zeta-cypermethrin, cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, tefluthrin,eflusilanat, fubfenprox, pyrethrin, resmethrin, imidacloprid,acetamiprid, thiamethoxam, nitenpyram, thiacloprid, dinotefuran,clothianidin, imidaclothiz, chlorfluazuron, diflubenzuron, lufenuron,teflubenzuron, triflumuron, novaluron, flufenoxuron, hexaflumuron,bistrifluoron, noviflumuron, buprofezin, cyromazine, methoxyfenozide,tebufenozide, halofenozide, chromafenozide, endosulfan, fipronil,ethiprole, pyrafluprole, pyriprole, flubendiamide, chlorantraniliprole(e.g., Rynaxypyr), cyazypyr, emamectin, emamectin benzoate, abamectin,ivermectin, milbemectin, lepimectin, tebufenpyrad, fenpyroximate,pyridaben, fenazaquin, pyrimidifen, tolfenpyrad, dicofol, cyenopyrafen,cyflumetofen, acequinocyl, fluacrypyrin, bifenazate, diafenthiuron,etoxazole, clofentezine, spinosad, triarathen, tetradifon, propargite,hexythiazox, bromopropylate, chinomethionat, amitraz, pyrifluquinazon,pymetrozine, flonicamid, pyriproxyfen, diofenolan, chlorfenapyr,metaflumizone, indoxacarb, chlorpyrifos, spirodiclofen, spiromesifen,spirotetramat, pyridalyl, spinctoram, acephate, triazophos, profenofos,oxamyl, spinetoram, fenamiphos, fenamipclothiahos,4-{[(6-chloropyrid-3-yl)methyl](2,2-difluoroethyl)amino}furan-2(5H)-one,3,5-disubstituted-1,2,4-oxadiazole compounds,3-phenyl-5-(thien-2-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole, cadusaphos, carbaryl,carbofuran, ethoprophos, thiodicarb, aldicarb, aldoxycarb, metamidophos,methiocarb, sulfoxaflor, methamidophos, cyantraniliprole and tioxazofenand combinations thereof. Additional non-limiting examples of chemicalacaricides, insecticides, and/or nematicides may include one or more ofabamectin, aldicarb, aldoxycarb, bifenthrin, carbofuran,chlorantraniliporle, chlothianidin, cyfluthrin, cyhalothrin,cypermethrin, cyantraniliprole, deltamethrin, dinotefuran, emamectin,ethiprole, fenamiphos, fipronil, flubendiamide, fosthiazate,imidacloprid, ivermectin, lambda-cyhalothrin, milbemectin, nitenpyram,oxamyl, permethrin, spinetoram, spinosad, spirodichlofen, spirotetramat,tefluthrin, thiacloprid, thiamethoxam and/or thiodicarb, andcombinations thereof.

Additional non-limiting examples of acaricides, insecticides andnematicides that may be included or used in compositions in someembodiments may be found in Steffey and Gray, Managing Insect Pests,ILLINOIS AGRONOMY HANDBOOK (2008); and Niblack, Nematodes, ILLINOISAGRONOMY HANDBOOK (2008), the contents and disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference. Non-limiting examples of commercialinsecticides which may be suitable for the compositions disclosed hereininclude CRUISER (Syngenta, Wilmington, Del.), GAUCHO and PONCHO(Gustafson, Plano, Tex.). Active ingredients in these and othercommercial insecticides may include thiamethoxam, clothianidin, andimidacloprid. Commercial acaricides, insecticides, and/or nematicidesmay be used in accordance with a manufacturer's recommended amounts orconcentrations.

According to some embodiments, compositions and formulations maycomprise one or more biopesticidal microorganisms, the presence and/oroutput of which is toxic to an acarid, insect and/or nematode. Forexample, compositions may comprise one or more of Bacillus firmusI-1582, Bacillus mycoides AQ726, NRRL B-21664; Beauveria bassianaATCC-74040, Beauveria bassiana ATCC-74250, Burkholderia sp. A396 sp.nov. rinojensis, NRRL B-50319, Chromobacterium subtsugae NRRL B-30655,Chromobacterium vaccinii NRRL B-50880, Flavobacterium H492, NRRLB-50584, Metarhizium anisopliae F52 (also known as Metarhiziumanisopliae strain 52, Metarhizium anisopliae strain 7, Metarhiziumanisopliae strain 43, and/or Metarhizium anisopliae BIO-1020, TAE-001;deposited as DSM 3884, DSM 3885, ATCC 90448, SD 170 and ARSEF 7711),Paecilomyces fumosoroseus FE991, and combinations thereof.

According to some embodiments, compositions and formulations maycomprise one or more chemical fungicides. Non-limiting examples ofchemical fungicides may include one or more aromatic hydrocarbons,benzthiadiazole, carboxylic acid amides, morpholines, phenylamides,phosphonates, thiazolidines, thiophene, quinone outside inhibitors andstrobilurins, such as azoxystrobin, coumethoxystrobin, coumoxystrobin,dimoxystrobin, enestroburin, fluoxastrobin, kresoxim-methyl,metominostrobin, orysastrobin, picoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin,pyrametostrobin, pyraoxystrobin, pyribencarb, trifloxystrobin,2-[2-(2,5-dimethyl-phenoxymethyl)-phenyl]-3-methoxy-acrylic acid methylester, and2-(2-(3-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-1-methyl-allylideneaminooxymethyl)-phenyl)-2-methoxyimino-N-methyl-acetamide,carboxamides, such as carboxanilides (e.g., benalaxyl, benalaxyl-M,benodanil, bixafen, boscalid, carboxin, fenfuram, fenhexamid,flutolanil, fluxapyroxad, furametpyr, isopyrazam, isotianil, kiralaxyl,mepronil, metalaxyl, metalaxyl-M (mefenoxam), ofurace, oxadixyl,oxycarboxin, penflufen, penthiopyrad, sedaxane, tecloftalam,thifluzamide, tiadinil, 2-amino-4-methyl-thiazole-5-carboxanilide,N-(4′-trifluoromethylthiobiphenyl-2-yl)-3-difluoromethyl-1-methyl-1H-pyra-zole-4-carboxamide,N-(2-(1,3,3-trimethylbutyl)-phenyl)-1,3-dimethyl-5-fluoro-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide),carboxylic morpholides (e.g., dimethomorph, flumorph, pyrimorph),benzoic acid amides (e.g., flumetover, fluopicolide, fluopyram,zoxamide), carpropamid, dicyclomet, mandiproamid, fenehexamid,oxytetracyclin, silthiofam, and N-(6-methoxy-pyridin-3-yl)cyclopropanecarboxylic acid amide, spiroxamine, azoles, such astriazoles (e.g., azaconazole, bitertanol, bromuconazole, cyproconazole,difenoconazole, diniconazole, diniconazole-M, epoxiconazole,fenbuconazole, fluquinconazole, flusilazole, flutriafol, hexaconazole,imibenconazole, ipconazole, metconazole, myclobutanil, oxpoconazole,paclobutrazole, penconazole, propiconazole, prothioconazole,simeconazole, tebuconazole, tetraconazole, triadimefon, triadimenol,triticonazole, uniconazole) and imidazoles (e.g., cyazofamid, imazalil,pefurazoate, prochloraz, triflumizol); heterocyclic compounds, such aspyridines (e.g., fluazinam, pyrifenox (cf.D1b),3-[5-(4-chloro-phenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-isoxazolidin-3-yl]-pyridine,3-[5-(4-methyl-phenyl)-2,3-dimethyl-isoxazolidin-3-yl]-pyridine),pyrimidines (e.g., bupirimate, cyprodinil, diflumetorim, fenarimol,ferimzone, mepanipyrim, nitrapyrin, nuarimol, pyrimethanil), piperazines(e.g., triforine), pirroles (e.g., fenpiclonil, fludioxonil),morpholines (e.g., aldimorph, dodemorph, dodemorph-acetate,fenpropimorph, tridemorph), piperidines (e.g., fenpropidin);dicarboximides (e.g., fluoroimid, iprodione, procymidone, vinclozolin),non-aromatic 5-membered heterocycles (e.g., famoxadone, fenamidone,flutianil, octhilinone, probenazole,5-amino-2-isopropyl-3-oxo-4-ortho-tolyl-2,3-dihydro-pyrazole-1-carbothioicacid S-allyl ester), acibenzolar-S-methyl, ametoctradin, amisulbrom,anilazin, blasticidin-S, captafol, captan, chinomethionat, dazomet,debacarb, diclomezine, difenzoquat, difenzoquat-methylsulfate,fenoxanil, Folpet, oxolinic acid, piperalin, proquinazid, pyroquilon,quinoxyfen, triazoxide, tricyclazole,2-butoxy-6-iodo-3-propylchromen-4-one,5-chloro-1-(4,6-dimethoxy-pyrimidin-2-yl)-2-methyl-1H-benzoimidazole and5-chloro-7-(4-methylpiperidin-1-yl)-6-(2,4,6-trifluorophenyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo-[1,5-a]pyrimidine;benzimidazoles, such as carbendazim; and other active substances, suchas guanidines (e.g., guanidine, dodine, dodine free base, guazatine,guazatine-acetate, iminoctadine), iminoctadine-triacetate andiminoctadine-tris(albesilate); antibiotics (e.g., kasugamycin,kasugamycin hydrochloride-hydrate, streptomycin, polyoxine andvalidamycin A), nitrophenyl derivates (e.g., binapacryl, dicloran,dinobuton, dinocap, nitrothal-isopropyl, tecnazen). organometalcompounds (e.g., fentin salts, such as fentin-acetate, fentin chloride,fentin hydroxide); sulfur-containing heterocyclyl compounds (e.g.,dithianon, isoprothiolane), organophosphorus compounds (e.g.,edifenphos, fosetyl, iprobenfos, phosphorus acid and its salts,pyrazophos, tolclofos-methyl), organochlorine compounds (e.g.,chlorothalonil, dichlofluanid, dichlorophen, flusulfamide,hexachlorobenzene, pencycuron, pentachlorphenole and its salts,phthalide, quintozene, thiophanate-methyl, thiophanates, tolylfluanid,N-(4-chloro-2-nitro-phenyl)-N-ethyl-4-methyl-benzenesulfonamide) andinorganic active substances (e.g., Bordeaux mixture, copper acetate,copper hydroxide, copper oxychloride, basic copper sulfate, sulfur) andcombinations thereof. In an aspect, compositions in some embodimentscomprise acibenzolar-S-methyl, azoxystrobin, benalaxyl, bixafen,boscalid, carbendazim, cyproconazole, dimethomorph, epoxiconazole,fludioxonil, fluopyram, fluoxastrobin, flutianil, flutolanil,fluxapyroxad, fosetyl-Al, ipconazole, isopyrazam, kresoxim-methyl,mefenoxam, metalaxyl, metconazole, myclobutanil, orysastrobin,penflufen, penthiopyrad, picoxystrobin, propiconazole, prothioconazole,pyraclostrobin, sedaxane, silthiofam, tebuconazole, thiabendazole,thifluzamide, thiophanate, tolclofos-methyl, trifloxystrobin andtriticonazole, and combinations thereof.

For additional examples of fungicides that may be included incompositions, see, e.g., Bradley, Managing Diseases, ILLINOIS AGRONOMYHANDBOOK (2008), the content and disclosure of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

Fungicides useful for compositions in some embodiments may exhibitactivity against one or more fungal plant pathogens, including but notlimited to Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, Pythium, Phomopsis,Sclerotinia, or Phakopsora, and combinations thereof. Non-limitingexamples of commercial fungicides which may be suitable for compositionsinclude PROTÉGÉ, RIVAL or ALLEGIANCE FL or LS (Gustafson, Plano, Tex.),WARDEN RTA (Agrilance, St. Paul, Minn.), APRON XL, APRON MAXX RTA orRFC, MAXIM 4FS or XL (Syngenta, Wilmington, Del.), CAPTAN (Arvesta,Guelph, Ontario) and PROTREAT (Nitragin Argentina, Buenos Ares,Argentina). Active ingredients in these and other commercial fungicidesinclude, but are not limited to, fludioxonil, mefenoxam, azoxystrobinand metalaxyl. Commercial fungicides may be used in accordance with amanufacturer's recommended amounts or concentrations.

According to some embodiments, compositions and formulations maycomprise one or more suitable biopesticidal microorganisms, the presenceand/or output of which is toxic to at least one fungus, bacteria, orboth. For example, compositions may comprise one or more of Ampelomycesquisqualis AQ 10® (Intrachem Bio GmbH & Co. KG, Germany), Aspergillusflavus AFLA-GUARD® (Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc., CH), Aureobasidiumpullulans BOTECTOR® (bio-ferm GmbH, Germany), Bacillus pumilus AQ717(NRRL B-21662), Bacillus pumilus NRRL B-30087, Bacillus AQ175 (ATCC55608), Bacillus AQ177 (ATCC 55609), Bacillus subtilis AQ713 (NRRLB-21661), Bacillus subtilis AQ743 (NRRL B-21665), Bacillusamyloliquefaciens FZB24, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42, Bacillusamyloliquefaciens NRRL B-50349, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TJ1000 (alsoknown as IBE, isolate ATCC BAA-390), Bacillus subtilis ATCC 55078,Bacillus subtilis ATCC 55079, Bacillus thuringiensis AQ52 (NRRLB-21619), Candida oleophila 1-182 (e.g., ASPIRE® from Ecogen Inc., USA),Candida saitoana BIOCURE® (in mixture with lysozyme; BASF, USA) andBIOCOAT® (ArystaLife Science, Ltd., Cary, N.C.), Clonostachys rosea f.catenulata (also referred to as Gliocladium catenulatum) J1446(PRESTOP®, Verdera, Finland), Coniothyrium minitans CONTANS® (Prophyta,Germany), Cryphonectria parasitica (CNICM, France), Cryptococcus albidusYIELD PLUS® (Anchor Bio-Technologies, South Africa), Fusarium oxysporumBIOFOX® (from S.I.A.P.A., Italy) and FUSACLEAN® (Natural PlantProtection, France), Metschnikowia fructicola SHEMER® (Agrogreen,Israel), Microdochium dimerum ANTIBOT® (Agrauxine, France), Muscodoralbus NRRL 30547, Muscodor roseus NRRL 30548, Phlebiopsis giganteaROTSOP® (Verdera, Finland), Pseudozyma flocculosa SPORODEX® (PlantProducts Co. Ltd., Canada), Pythium oligandrum DV74 (POLYVERSUM®,Remeslo SSRO, Biopreparaty, Czech Rep.), Reynoutria sachlinensis (e.g.,REGALIA® from Marrone Biolnnovations, USA), Streptomyces NRRL B-30145,Streptomyces M1064, Streptomyces galbus NRRL 30232, Streptomyces lydicusWYEC 108 (ATCC 55445), Streptomyces violaceusniger YCED 9 (ATCC 55660;DE-THATCH-9®, DECOMP-9® and THATCH CONTROL®, Idaho Research Foundation,USA), Streptomyces WYE 53 (ATCC 55750; DE-THATCH-9®, DECOMP-9® andTHATCH CONTROL®, Idaho Research Foundation, USA), Talaromyces flavusV117b (PROTUS®, Prophyta, Germany), Trichoderma asperellum SKT-1(ECO-HOPE®, Kumiai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Japan), Trichodermaatroviride LC52 (SENTINEL®, Agrimm Technologies Ltd, NZ), Trichodermaharzianum T-22 (PLANTSHIELD®, der Firma BioWorks Inc., USA), Trichodermaharzianum TH-35 (ROOT PRO®, from Mycontrol Ltd., Israel), Trichodermaharzianum T-39 (TRICHODEX®, Mycontrol Ltd., Israel; TRICHODERMA 2000®,Makhteshim Ltd., Israel), Trichoderma harzianum ICC012 and Trichodermaviride TRICHOPEL (Agrimm Technologies Ltd, NZ), Trichoderma harzianumICC012 and Trichoderma viride ICCO80 (REMEDIER® WP, Isagro Ricerca,Italy), Trichoderma polysporum and Trichoderma harzianum (BINAB®, BINABBio-Innovation AB, Sweden), Trichoderma stromaticum TRICOVAB®(C.E.P.L.A.C., Brazil), Trichoderma virens GL-21 (SOILGARD®, Certis LLC,USA), Trichoderma virens G1-3 (ATCC 57678), Trichoderma virens G1-21(Thermo Trilogy Corporation, Wasco, Calif.), Trichoderma virens G1-3 andBacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB24, Trichoderma virens G1-3 and Bacillusamyloliquefaciens NRRL B-50349, Trichoderma virens G1-3 and Bacillusamyloliquefaciens TJ1000, Trichoderma virens G1-21 and Bacillusamyloliquefaciens FZB24, Trichoderma virens G1-21 and Bacillusamyloliquefaciens NRRL B-50349, Trichoderma virens G1-21 and Bacillusamyloliquefaciens TJ1000, Trichoderma viride TRIECO® (Ecosense Labs.(India) Pvt. Ltd., India, BIO-CURE® F from T. Stanes & Co. Ltd.,Indien), Trichoderma viride TV1 (Agribiotec srl, Italy), Trichodermaviride ICCO80, and/or Ulocladium oudemansii HRU3 (BOTRY-ZEN®, Botry-ZenLtd, NZ), and combinations thereof.

Compositions in some embodiments may comprise one or more chemicalgastropodicides. Non-limiting examples of chemical gastropodicidesinclude one or more iron phosphates, metaldehydes, methiocarbs and/orsalts. Examples of commercial gastropodicides that may be useful incompositions include DEADLINE® M-Ps™, MESUROL PRO®, MESUROL 75-W®,METAREX®, SLUGGO®, and combinations thereof. Additional examples ofgastropodicides that can be included in compositions of the presentdisclosure can be found in Capinera, Handbook of Vegetable Pests (2001),the content and disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.Commercial gastropodicides may be used in accordance with amanufacturer's recommended amounts and concentrations.

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise one or more suitablechemical herbicides. The herbicides may be a pre-emergent herbicide, apost-emergent herbicide, or a combination thereof. Non-limiting examplesof chemical herbicides may comprise one or more acetyl CoA carboxylase(ACCase) inhibitors, acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors,acetanilides, acetohydroxy acid synthase (AHAS) inhibitors, photosystemII inhibitors, photosystem I inhibitors, protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPOor Protox) inhibitors, carotenoid biosynthesis inhibitors, enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) inhibitors, glutamine synthetaseinhibitors, dihydropteroate synthetase inhibitors, mitosis inhibitors,4-hydroxyphenyl-pyruvate-dioxygenase (4-HPPD) inhibitors, syntheticauxins, auxin herbicide salts, auxin transport inhibitors, nucleic acidinhibitors and/or one or more salts, esters, racemic mixtures and/orresolved isomers thereof. Non-limiting examples of chemical herbicidesthat can be useful in compositions of the present disclosure include2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyaceticacid (2,4,5-T), ametryn, amicarbazone, aminocyclopyrachlor, acetochlor,acifluorfen, alachlor, atrazine, azafenidin, bentazon, benzofenap,bifenox, bromacil, bromoxynil, butachlor, butafenacil, butroxydim,carfentrazone-ethyl, chlorimuron, chlorotoluro, clethodim, clodinafop,clomazone, cyanazine, cycloxydim, cyhalofop, desmedipham, desmetryn,dicamba, diclofop, dimefuron, diflufenican, diuron, dithiopyr,ethofumesate, fenoxaprop, foramsulfron, fluazifop, fluazifop-P,flufenacet, fluometuron, flufenpyr-ethyl, flumiclorac,flumiclorac-pentyl, flumioxazin, fluoroglycofen, fluthiacet-methyl,fomesafen, fomesafen, glyphosate, glufosinate, halosulfuron, haloxyfop,hexazinone, iodosulfuron, indaziflam, imazamox, imazaquin, imazethapyr,ioxynil, isoproturon, isoxaflutole, lactofen, linuron, mecoprop,mecoprop-P, mesosulfuron, mesotrion, metamitron, metazochlor,methibenzuron, metolachlor (and S-metolachlor), metoxuron, metribuzin,monolinuron, oxadiargyl, oxadiazon, oxyfluorfen, phenmedipham,pretilachlor, profoxydim, prometon, prometry, propachlor, propanil,propaquizafop, propisochlor, propoxycarbazone, pyraflufen-ethyl,pyrazon, pyrazolynate, pyrazoxyfen, pyridate, quizalofop, quizalofop-P(e.g., quizalofop-ethyl, quizalofop-P-ethyl, clodinafop-propargyl,cyhalofop-butyl, diclofop-methyl, fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, fluazifop-P-butyl,haloxyfop-methyl, haloxyfop-R-methyl), saflufenacil, sethoxydim,siduron, simazine, simetryn, sulcotrione, sulfentrazone, tebuthiuron,tembotrione, tepraloxydim, terbacil, terbumeton, terbuthylazine,thaxtomin (e.g., the thaxtomins described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,989,393),thiencarbazone-methyl, thenylchlor, tralkoxydim, triclopyr, trietazine,trifloxysulfuron, tropramezone, salts and esters thereof; racemicmixtures and resolved isomers thereof and combinations thereof. In someembodiments, compositions may comprise acetochlor, clethodim, dicamba,flumioxazin, fomesafen, glyphosate, glufosinate, mesotrione, quizalofop,saflufenacil, sulcotrione, S-3100 and/or 2,4-D, and combinationsthereof.

Additional examples of herbicides that may be included in compositionsin some embodiments may be found in Hager, Weed Management, IllinoisAgronomy Handbook (2008); and Loux et al., Weed Control Guide for Ohio,Indiana and Illinois (2015), the contents and disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference. Commercial herbicides may be used inaccordance with a manufacturer's recommended amounts or concentrations.

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise one or more suitablevirucides.

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise one or more biopesticidalor herbicidal microorganisms, the presence and/or output of which istoxic to at least one insect, plant (weed), or phytopathogenic virus, asthe case may be.

Additional examples of biopesticides that may be included or used incompositions may be found in BURGES, supra; HALL & MENN, BIOPESTICIDES:USE AND DELIVERY (Humana Press) (1998); McCoy et al., Entomogenousfungi, in CRC HANDBOOK OF NATURAL PESTICIDES. MICROBIAL PESTICIDES, PARTA. ENTOMOGENOUS PROTOZOA AND FUNGI (C. M. Inoffo, ed.), Vol. 5:151-236(1988); SAMSON et al., ATLAS OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI (Springer-Verlag,Berlin) (1988); and deFaria and Wraight, Mycoinsecticides andMycoacaricides: A comprehensive list with worldwide coverage andinternational classification of formulation types, BIOL. CONTROL (2007),the contents and disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference. In certain embodiments, a biocontrol microbe may comprise abacterium of the genus Actinomycetes, Agrobacterium, Arthrobacter,Alcaligenes, Aureobacterium, Azobacter, Bacillus, Beijerinckia,Brevibacillus, Burkholderia, Chromobacterium, Clostridium, Clavibacter,Comamonas, Corynebacterium, Curtobacterium, Enterobacter,Flavobacterium, Gluconobacter, Hydrogenophaga, Klebsiella,Methylobacterium, Paenibacillus, Pasteuria, Photorhabdus,Phyllobacterium, Pseudomonas, Rhizobium, Serratia, Sphingobacterium,Stenotrophomonas, Variovorax, and Xenorhabdus, or any combinationthereof. According to some embodiments, a biopesticidal microbe mayinclude one or more of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus cereus,Bacillus firmus, Bacillus, lichenformis, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillussphaericus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus thuringiensis, Chromobacteriumsuttsuga, Pasteuria penetrans, Pasteuria usage, and Pseudomonafluorescens. According to some embodiments, a biopesticidal microbe maycomprise a fungus of the genus Alternaria, Ampelomyces, Aspergillus,Aureobasidium, Beauveria, Colletotrichum, Coniothyrium, Gliocladium,Metarhizium, Muscodor, Paecilomyces, Trichoderma, Typhula, Ulocladium,and Verticillium. In another aspect a fungus is Beauveria bassiana,Coniothyrium minitans, Gliocladium virens, Muscodor albus, Paecilomyceslilacinus, or Trichoderma polysporum.

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise one or more biocidalagents. A biocidal component may be included or used to prevent fungaland/or bacterial growth in the composition, particularly when thecomposition is placed in storage. Examples of biocidal agents includedichlorophen or benzyl alcohol hemiformal based compounds,benzoisothiazolinones and rhamnolipids. Non-limiting examples ofcommercially available biocidal agents include ACTICIDE (THOR), PROXEL(Arch Chemical), and ZONIX (Jeneil).

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise one or more suitable oneor more agriculturally beneficial agents, such as biostimulants,nutrients, plant signal molecules, or biologically active agents.

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise one or more beneficialbiostimulants. Biostimulants may enhance metabolic and/or physiologicalprocesses such as respiration, photosynthesis, nucleic acid uptake, ionuptake, nutrient delivery, or a combination thereof. Non-limitingexamples of biostimulants that may be included or used in compositionsmay include seaweed extracts (e.g., ascophyllum nodosum), bacterialextracts (e.g., extracts of one or more diazotrophs,phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms and/or biopesticides), fungalextracts, humic acids (e.g., potassium humate), fulvic acids,myo-inositol, and/or glycine, and any combinations thereof. According tosome embodiments, the biostimulants may comprise one or moreAzospirillum extracts (e.g., an extract of media comprising A.brasilense INTA Az-39), one or more Bradyrhizobium extracts (e.g., anextract of media comprising B. elkanii SEMIA 501, B. elkanii SEMIA 587,B. elkanii SEMIA 5019, B. japonicum NRRL B-50586 (also deposited as NRRLB-59565), B. japonicum NRRL B-50587 (also deposited as NRRL B-59566), B.japonicum NRRL B-50588 (also deposited as NRRL B-59567), B. japonicumNRRL B-50589 (also deposited as NRRL B-59568), B. japonicum NRRL B-50590(also deposited as NRRL B-59569), B. japonicum NRRL B-50591 (alsodeposited as NRRL B-59570), B. japonicum NRRL B-50592 (also deposited asNRRL B-59571), B. japonicum NRRL B-50593 (also deposited as NRRLB-59572), B. japonicum NRRL B-50594 (also deposited as NRRL B-50493), B.japonicum NRRL B-50608, B. japonicum NRRL B-50609, B. japonicum NRRLB-50610, B. japonicum NRRL B-50611, B. japonicum NRRL B-50612, B.japonicum NRRL B-50726, B. japonicum NRRL B-50727, B. japonicum NRRLB-50728, B. japonicum NRRL B-50729, B. japonicum NRRL B-50730, B.japonicum SEMIA 566, B. japonicum SEMIA 5079, B. japonicum SEMIA 5080,B. japonicum USDA 6, B. japonicum USDA 110, B. japonicum USDA 122, B.japonicum USDA 123, B. japonicum USDA 127, B. japonicum USDA 129 and/orB. japonicum USDA 532C), one or more Rhizobium extracts (e.g., anextract of media comprising R. leguminosarum SO12A-2), one or moreSinorhizobium extracts (e.g., an extract of media comprising S. frediiCCBAU 114 and/or S. fredii USDA 205), one or more Penicillium extracts(e.g., an extract of media comprising P. bilaiae ATCC 18309, P. bilaiaeATCC 20851, P. bilaiae ATCC 22348, P. bilaiae NRRL 50162, P. bilaiaeNRRL 50169, P. bilaiae NRRL 50776, P. bilaiae NRRL 50777, P. bilaiaeNRRL 50778, P. bilaiae NRRL 50777, P. bilaiae NRRL 50778, P. bilaiaeNRRL 50779, P. bilaiae NRRL 50780, P. bilaiae NRRL 50781, P. bilaiaeNRRL 50782, P. bilaiae NRRL 50783, P. bilaiae NRRL 50784, P. bilaiaeNRRL 50785, P. bilaiae NRRL 50786, P. bilaiae NRRL 50787, P. bilaiaeNRRL 50788, P. bilaiae RS7B-SD1, P. brevicompactum AgRF18, P. canescensATCC 10419, P. expansum ATCC 24692, P. expansum YT02, P. fellatanum ATCC48694, P. gaestrivorus NRRL 50170, P. glabrum DAOM 239074, P. glabrumCBS 229.28, P. janthinellum ATCC 10455, P. lanosocoeruleum ATCC 48919,P. radicum ATCC 201836, P. radicum FRR 4717, P. radicum FRR 4719, P.radicum N93/47267 and/or P. raistrickii ATCC 10490), one or morePseudomonas extracts (e.g., an extract of media comprising P. jesseniiPS06), one or more acaricidal, insecticidal and/or nematicidal extracts(e.g., an extract of media comprising Bacillus firmus 1-1582, Bacillusmycoides AQ726, NRRL B-21664; Beauveria bassiana ATCC-74040, Beauveriabassiana ATCC-74250, Burkholderia sp. A396 sp. nov. rinojensis, NRRLB-50319, Chromobacterium subtsugae NRRL B-30655, Chromobacteriumvaccinii NRRL B-50880, Flavobacterium H492, NRRL B-50584, Metarhiziumanisopliae F52 (also known as Metarhizium anisopliae strain 52,Metarhizium anisopliae strain 7, Metarhizium anisopliae strain 43 andMetarhizium anisopliae BIO-1020, TAE-001; deposited as DSM 3884, DSM3885, ATCC 90448, SD 170 and ARSEF 7711) and/or Paecilomycesfumosoroseus FE991), and/or one or more fungicidal extracts (e.g., anextract of media comprising Ampelomyces quisqualis AQ 10® (Intrachem BioGmbH & Co. KG, Germany), Aspergillus flavus AFLA-GUARD® (Syngenta CropProtection, Inc., CH), Aureobasidium pullulans BOTECTOR® (bio-ferm GmbH,Germany), Bacillus pumilus AQ717 (NRRL B-21662), Bacillus pumilus NRRLB-30087, Bacillus AQ175 (ATCC 55608), Bacillus AQ177 (ATCC 55609),Bacillus subtilis AQ713 (NRRL B-21661), Bacillus subtilis AQ743 (NRRLB-21665), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB24, Bacillus amyloliquefaciensNRRL B-50349, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TJ1000 (also known as IBE,isolate ATCC BAA-390), Bacillus thuringiensis AQ52 (NRRL B-21619),Candida oleophila 1-82 (e.g., ASPIRE® from Ecogen Inc., USA), Candidasaitoana BIOCURE® (in mixture with lysozyme; BASF, USA) and BIOCOAT®(ArystaLife Science, Ltd., Cary, N.C.), Clonostachys rosea f. catenulata(also referred to as Gliocladium catenulatum) J1446 (PRESTOP®, Verdera,Finland), Coniothyrium minitans CONTANS® (Prophyta, Germany),Cryphonectria parasitica (CNICM, France), Cryptococcus albidus YIELDPLUS® (Anchor Bio-Technologies, South Africa), Fusarium oxysporumBIOFOX® (from S.I.A.P.A., Italy) and FUSACLEAN® (Natural PlantProtection, France), Metschnikowia fructicola SHEMER® (Agrogreen,Israel), Microdochium dimerum ANTIBOT® (Agrauxine, France), Muscodoralbus NRRL 30547, Muscodor roseus NRRL 30548, Phlebiopsis giganteaROTSOP® (Verdera, Finland), Pseudozyma flocculosa SPORODEX® (PlantProducts Co. Ltd., Canada), Pythium oligandrum DV74 (POLYVERSUM®,Remeslo SSRO, Biopreparaty, Czech Rep.), Reynoutria sachlinensis (e.g.,REGALIA® from Marrone Biolnnovations, USA), Streptomyces NRRL B-30145,Streptomyces M1064, Streptomyces galbus NRRL 30232, Streptomyces lydicusWYEC 108 (ATCC 55445), Streptomyces violaceusniger YCED 9 (ATCC 55660;DE-THATCH-9®, DECOMP-9® and THATCH CONTROL®, Idaho Research Foundation,USA), Streptomyces WYE 53 (ATCC 55750; DE-THATCH-9®, DECOMP-9® andTHATCH CONTROL®, Idaho Research Foundation, USA), Talaromyces flavusV117b (PROTUS®, Prophyta, Germany), Trichoderma asperellum SKT-1(ECO-HOPE®, Kumiai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Japan), Trichodermaatroviride LC52 (SENTINEL®, Agrimm Technologies Ltd, NZ), Trichodermaharzianum T-22 (PLANTSHIELD®, der Firma BioWorks Inc., USA), Trichodermaharzianum TH-35 (ROOT PRO®, from Mycontrol Ltd., Israel), Trichodermaharzianum T-39 (TRICHODEX®, Mycontrol Ltd., Israel; TRICHODERMA 2000®,Makhteshim Ltd., Israel), Trichoderma harzianum ICC012 and Trichodermaviride TRICHOPEL (Agrimm Technologies Ltd, NZ), Trichoderma harzianumICC012 and Trichoderma viride ICCO80 (REMEDIER® WP, Isagro Ricerca,Italy), Trichoderma polysporum and Trichoderma harzianum (BINAB®, BINABBio-Innovation AB, Sweden), Trichoderma stromaticum TRICOVAB®(C.E.P.L.A.C., Brazil), Trichoderma virens GL-21 (SOILGARD®, Certis LLC,USA), Trichoderma virens G1-3, ATCC 57678, Trichoderma virens G1-21(Thermo Trilogy Corporation, Wasco, Calif.), Trichoderma virens G1-3 andBacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB2, Trichoderma virens G1-3 and Bacillusamyloliquefaciens NRRL B-50349, Trichoderma virens G1-3 and Bacillusamyloliquefaciens TJ1000, Trichoderma virens G1-21 and Bacillusamyloliquefaciens FZB24, Trichoderma virens G1-21 and Bacillusamyloliquefaciens NRRL B-50349, Trichoderma virens G1-21 and Bacillusamyloliquefaciens TJ1000, Trichoderma viride TRIECO® (Ecosense Labs.(India) Pvt. Ltd., Indien, BIO-CURE® F from T. Stanes & Co. Ltd.,Indien), Trichoderma viride TV1 (Agribiotec srl, Italy), Trichodermaviride ICCO80, and/or Ulocladium oudemansii HRU3 (BOTRY-ZEN®, Botry-ZenLtd, NZ)), and combinations thereof.

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise one or more biologicallyactive ingredients. Non-limiting examples of biologically activeingredients include plant growth regulators, plant signal molecules,growth enhancers, microbial stimulating molecules, biomolecules, soilamendments, nutrients, plant nutrient enhancers, etc., such aslipo-chitooligosaccharides (LCO), chitooligosaccharides (CO), chitinouscompounds, flavonoids, jasmonic acid or derivatives thereof (e.g.,jasmonates), cytokinins, auxins, gibberellins, absiscic acid, ethylene,brassinosteroids, salicylates, macro- and micro-nutrients, linoleic acidor derivatives thereof, linolenic acid or derivatives thereof,karrikins, etc.) and beneficial microorganisms including variousbacterial and/or fungal strains (e.g., Rhizobium spp., Bradyrhizobiumspp., Sinorhizobium spp., Azorhizobium spp., Glomus spp., Gigasporaspp., Hymenoscyphous spp., Oidiodendron spp., Laccaria spp., Pisolithusspp., Rhizopogon spp., Scleroderma spp., Rhizoctonia spp., Acinetobacterspp., Arthrobacter spp, Arthrobotrys spp., Aspergillus spp.,Azospirillum spp, Bacillus spp, Burkholderia spp., Candida spp.,Chryseomonas spp., Enterobacter spp., Eupenicillium spp.,Exiguobacterium spp., Klebsiella spp., Kluyvera spp., Microbacteriumspp., Mucor spp., Paecilomyces spp., Paenibacillus spp., Penicilliumspp., Pseudomonas spp., Serratia spp., Stenotrophomonas spp.,Streptomyces spp., Streptosporangium spp., Swaminathania spp.,Thiobacillus spp., Torulospora spp., Vibrio spp., Xanthobacter spp.,Xanthomonas spp., etc.), and combinations thereof.

Non-limiting examples of fungi that may be included in compositions ofthe present disclosure include Gliocladium virens ATCC 52045,Gliocladium virens GL-21, Glomus intraradices RTI-801, Metarhiziumanisopliae F52, PENI, Trichoderma asperellum SKT-1, Trichodermaasperellum ICC 012, Trichoderma atroviride LC52, Trichoderma atrovirideCNCM 1-1237, Trichoderma fertile JM41R, Trichoderma gamsii ICC 080,Trichoderma hamatum ATCC 52198, Trichoderma harzianum ATCC 52445,Trichoderma harzianum KRL-AG2, Trichoderma harzianum T-22, Trichodermaharzianum TH-35, Trichoderma harzianum T-39, Trichoderma harzianumICC012, Trichoderma reesi ATCC 28217, Trichoderma virens ATCC 58678,Trichoderma virens G1-3, Trichoderma virens GL-21, Trichoderma virensG-41, Trichoderma viridae ATCC 52440, Trichoderma viridae ICC080,Trichoderma viridae TV1 and combinations thereof, as well asmicroorganisms having at least at least 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 96, 97,97.5. 98, 98.5, 99, 99.5, 99.6, 99.7, 99.8, or 99.9% or greater sequenceidentity to any of the aforementioned fungal strains, on the basis ofinternal transcribed spacer (ITS) and/or cytochrome c oxidase (CO 1)sequence identity.

Non-limiting examples of mycorrhizal fungi that may be included incompositions of the present disclosure include mycorrhizal strains, suchas Gigaspora margarita, Glomus aggregatum, Glomus brasilianum, Glomusclarum, Glomus deserticola, Glomus etunicatum, Glomus intraradices,Glomus monosporum, Glomus mosseae, Laccaria bicolor, Laccaria laccata,Paraglomus brazilianum, Pisolithus tinctorius, Rhizopogon amylopogon,Rhizopogon fulvigleba, Rhizopogon luteolus, Rhizopogon villosuli,Scleroderma cepa and Scleroderma citrinum, and combinations thereof.

Compositions in some embodiments may comprise one or morelipo-chitooligosaccharides (LCOs), chitooligosaccharides (COs), and/orchitinous compounds. LCOs, sometimes referred to as symbiotic nodulation(Nod) signals (or Nod factors) or as Myc factors, consist of anoligosaccharide backbone of β-1,4-linked N-acetyl-D-glucosamine(“GlcNAc”) residues with an N-linked fatty acyl chain condensed at thenon-reducing end. As understood in the art, LCOs differ in the number ofGlcNAc residues in the backbone, in the length and degree of saturationof the fatty acyl chain and in the substitutions of reducing andnon-reducing sugar residues. See, e.g., Denarie et al., Ann. Rev.Biochem. 65:503 (1996); Diaz et al., Mol. Plant-Microbe Interactions13:268 (2000); Hungria et al., Soil Biol. Biochem. 29:819 (1997); Hamelet al., Planta 232:787 (2010); and Prome et al., Pure & Appl. Chem.70(1):55 (1998), the contents and disclosures of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

LCOs may be synthetic or obtained from any suitable source. See, e.g.,WO 2005/063784, WO 2007/117500 and WO 2008/071674, the contents anddisclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. In someaspects, a synthetic LCO may have the basic structure of a naturallyoccurring LCO but contains one or more modifications or substitutions,such as those described in Spaink, Crit. Rev. Plant Sci. 54:257 (2000).LCOs and precursors for the construction of LCOs (e.g., COs, which maythemselves be useful as a biologically active ingredient) can besynthesized by genetically engineered organisms. See, e.g., Samain etal., Carbohydrate Res. 302:35 (1997); Cottaz et al., Meth. Eng. 7(4):311(2005); and Samain et al., J. Biotechnol. 72:33 (1999) (e.g., FIG. 1therein, which shows structures of COs that can be made recombinantly inE. coli harboring different combinations of genes nodBCHL), the contentsand disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

LCOs (and derivatives thereof) may be included or utilized incompositions in various forms of purity and can be used alone or in theform of a culture of LCO-producing bacteria or fungi. For example,OPTIMIZE® (commercially available from Monsanto Company (St. Louis,Mo.)) contains a culture of Bradyrhizobium japonicum that produces LCO.Methods to provide substantially pure LCOs include removing themicrobial cells from a mixture of LCOs and the microbe, or continuing toisolate and purify the LCO molecules through LCO solvent phaseseparation followed by HPLC chromatography as described, for example, inU.S. Pat. No. 5,549,718. Purification can be enhanced by repeated HPLCand the purified LCO molecules can be freeze-dried for long-termstorage. According to some embodiments, the LCO(s) included incompositions of the present disclosure is/are at least 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%,2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%,65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%,99% or 100% pure. Compositions and methods in some embodiments maycomprise analogues, derivatives, hydrates, isomers, salts and/orsolvates of LCOs. LCOs may be incorporated into compositions of thepresent disclosure in any suitable amount(s)/concentration(s). Forexample, compositions of the present disclosure comprise about 1×10⁻²⁰ Mto about 1×10⁻¹ M LCO(s). For example, compositions of the presentdisclosure can comprise about 1×10⁻²⁰ M, 1×10⁻¹⁹ M, 1×10⁻¹⁸ M, 1×10⁻¹⁷M, 1×10⁻¹⁶ M, 1×10⁻¹⁵ M, 1×10⁻¹⁴ M, 1×10⁻¹³ M, 1×10⁻¹² M, 1×10⁻¹¹M,1×10⁻¹⁰ M, 1×10⁻⁹ M, 1×10⁻⁸ M, 1×10⁻⁷ M, 1×10⁻⁶ M, 1×10⁻⁵ M, 1×10⁻⁴ M,1×10⁻³ M, 1×10⁻² M, 1×10⁻¹ M of one or more LCOs. In an aspect, the LCOconcentration is 1×10⁻¹⁴ M to 1×10⁻⁵ M, 1×10⁻¹² M to 1×10⁻⁶ M, or1×10⁻¹⁰ M to 1×10⁻⁷ M. In an aspect, the LCO concentration is 1×10⁻¹⁴ Mto 1×10⁻⁵ M, 1×10⁻¹² M to 1×10⁻⁶ M, or 1×10⁻¹⁰ M to 1×10⁻⁷ M. Theamount/concentration of LCO may be an amount effective to impart apositive trait or benefit to a plant, such as to enhance the diseaseresistance, growth and/or yield of the plant to which the composition isapplied. According to some embodiments, the LCO amount/concentration isnot effective to enhance the yield of the plant without beneficialcontributions from one or more other constituents of the composition,such as CO and/or one or more pesticides.

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise any suitable COs, perhapsin combination with one or more LCOs. COs differ from LCOs in that theylack the pendant fatty acid chain that is characteristic of LCOs. COs,sometimes referred to as N-acetylchitooligosaccharides, are alsocomposed of GlcNAc residues but have side chain decorations that makethem different from chitin molecules [(C₈H₁₃NO₅)_(n), CAS No. 1398-61-4]and chitosan molecules [(C₅H₁₁NO₄)_(n), CAS No. 9012-76-4]. See, e.g.,D'Haeze et al., Glycobiol. 12(6):79R (2002); Demont-Caulet et al., PlantPhysiol. 120(1):83 (1999); Hanel et al., Planta 232:787 (2010); Mulleret al., Plant Physiol. 124:733 (2000); Robina et al., Tetrahedron58:521-530 (2002); Rouge et al., Docking of Chitin Oligomers and NodFactors on Lectin Domains of the LysM-RLK Receptors in theMedicago-Rhizobium Symbiosis, in The Molecular Immunology of ComplexCarbohydrates-3 (Springer Science, 2011); Van der Holst et al., Curr.Opin. Struc. Biol. 11:608 (2001); and Wan et al., Plant Cell 21:1053(2009), the contents and disclosures of which are incorporated byreference. COs may be obtained from any suitable source. For example,the CO may be derived from an LCO. For example, in an aspect,compositions of the present disclosure may comprise one or more COsderived from an LCO obtained (i.e., isolated and/or purified) from astrain of Azorhizobium, Bradyrhizobium (e.g., B. japonicum),Mesorhizobium, Rhizobium (e.g., R. leguminosarum), Sinorhizobium (e.g.,S. meliloti), or mycorhizzal fungi (e.g., Glomus intraradicus).Alternatively, the CO may be synthetic. Methods for the preparation ofrecombinant COs are known in the art. See, e.g., Cottaz et al., Meth.Eng. 7(4):311 (2005); Samain et al., Carbohydrate Res. 302:35 (1997);and Samain et al., J. Biotechnol. 72:33 (1999), the contents anddisclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

COs (and derivatives thereof) may be included or utilized incompositions in some embodiments in various forms of purity and can beused alone or in the form of a culture of CO-producing bacteria orfungi. According to some embodiments, the CO(s) included in compositionsmay be at least 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%,15%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%,94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or more pure. It is to be understoodthat compositions and methods of the present disclosure can comprisehydrates, isomers, salts and/or solvates of COs. COs may be incorporatedinto compositions of the present disclosure in any suitableamount(s)/concentration(s). For example, compositions of the presentdisclosure may comprise about 1×10⁻²⁰ M to about 1×10⁻¹ M COs, such asabout 1×10⁻²⁰ M, 1×10⁻¹⁹ M, 1×10⁻¹⁸ M, 1×10⁻⁷ M, 1×10⁻¹⁶ M, 1×10⁻¹⁵ M,1×10⁻¹⁴ M, 1×10⁻¹³M, 1×10⁻¹² M, 1×10³¹ ¹¹ M, 1×10⁻¹⁰ M, 1×10⁻⁹ M, 1×10⁻⁸M, 1×10⁻⁷ M, 1×10⁻⁶ M, 1×10⁻⁵ M, 1×10⁻⁴ M, 1×10⁻³ M, 1×10⁻² M, or 1×10⁻¹M of one or more COs. For example, the CO concentration may be 1×10⁻¹⁴ Mto 1×10⁻⁵ M, 1×10⁻¹² M to 1×10⁻⁶ M, or 1×10⁻¹⁰ M to 1×10⁻⁷ M. Theamount/concentration of CO may be an amount effective to impart orconfer a positive trait or benefit to a plant, such as to enhance thesoil microbial environment, nutrient uptake, or increase the growthand/or yield of the plant to which the composition is applied. Accordingto some embodiments, a CO amount/concentration may not be effective toenhance the growth of the plant without beneficial contributions fromone or more other ingredients of the composition, such as LCO and/or oneor more inoculants, biomolecules, nutrients, or pesticides.

Compositions in some embodiments may comprise one or more suitablechitinous compounds, such as, for example, chitin (IUPAC:N-[5-[[3-acetylamino-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2yl]methoxymethyl]-2-[[5-acetylamino-4,6-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yI]methoxymethyl]-4-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-ys]ethanamide),chitosan (IUPAC:5-amino-6-[5-amino-6-[5-amino-4,6-dihydroxy-2(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yl]oxy-4-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yl]oxy-2(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4-diol),and isomers, salts and solvates thereof.

Chitins and chitosans, which are major components of the cell walls offungi and the exoskeletons of insects and crustaceans, are composed ofGlcNAc residues. Chitins and chitosans may be obtained commercially orprepared from insects, crustacean shells, or fungal cell walls. Methodsfor the preparation of chitin and chitosan are known in the art. See,e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,207 (preparation from crustacean shells) andU.S. Pat. No. 5,965,545 (preparation from crab shells and hydrolysis ofcommercial chitosan); and Pochanavanich et al., Lett. Appl. Microbiol.35:17 (2002) (preparation from fungal cell walls).

Deacetylated chitins and chitosans may be obtained that range from lessthan 35% to greater than 90% deacetylation and cover a broad spectrum ofmolecular weights, e.g., low molecular weight chitosan oligomers of lessthan 15 kD and chitin oligomers of 0.5 to 2 kD; “practical grade”chitosan with a molecular weight of about 15 kD; and high molecularweight chitosan of up to 70 kD. Chitin and chitosan compositionsformulated for seed treatment are commercially available. Commercialproducts include, for example, ELEXA® (Plant Defense Boosters, Inc.) andBEYOND™ (Agrihouse, Inc.).

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise one or more suitableflavonoids, including, but not limited to, anthocyanidins,anthoxanthins, chalcones, coumarins, flavanones, flavanonols, flavansand isoflavonoids, as well as analogues, derivatives, hydrates, isomers,polymers, salts and solvates thereof. Flavonoids are phenolic compoundshaving the general structure of two aromatic rings connected by athree-carbon bridge. Classes of flavonoids are known in the art. See,e.g., Jain et al., J. Plant Biochem. & Biotechnol. 11:1 (2002); and Shawet al., Environ. Microbiol. 11:1867 (2006), the contents and disclosuresof which are incorporated herein by reference. Several flavonoidcompounds are commercially available. Flavonoid compounds may beisolated from plants or seeds, e.g., as described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,702,752; 5,990,291; and 6,146,668. Flavonoid compounds may also beproduced by genetically engineered organisms, such as yeast. See, e.g.Ralston et al., Plant Physiol. 137:1375 (2005).

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise one or more flavanones,such as one or more of butin, eriodictyol, hesperetin, hesperidin,homoeriodictyol, isosakuranetin, naringenin, naringin, pinocembrin,poncirin, sakuranetin, sakuranin, and/or sterubin, one or moreflavanonols, such as dihydrokaempferol and/or taxifolin, one or moreflavans, such as one or more flavan-3-ols (e.g., catechin (C), catechin3-gallate (Cg), epicatechins (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC) epicatechin3-gallate (ECg), epigallcatechin 3-gallate (EGCg), epiafzelechin,fisetinidol, gallocatechin (GC), gallcatechin 3-gallate (GCg),guibourtinidol, mesquitol, robinetinidol, theaflavin-3-gallate,theaflavin-3′-gallate, theflavin-3,3′-digallate, thearubigin),flavan-4-ols (e.g., apiforol and/or luteoforol) and/or flavan-3,4-diols(e.g., leucocyanidin, leucodelphinidin, leucofisetinidin, leucomalvidin,luecopelargonidin, leucopeonidin, leucorobinetinidin, melacacidin and/orteracacidin) and/or dimers, trimers, oligomers and/or polymers thereof(e.g., one or more proanthocyanidins), one or more isoflavonoids, suchas one or more isoflavones or flavonoid derivatives (e.g, biochanin A,daidzein, formononetin, genistein and/or glycitein), isoflavanes (e.g.,equol, ionchocarpane and/or laxifloorane), isoflavandiols, isoflavenes(e.g., glabrene, haginin D and/or 2-methoxyjudaicin), coumestans (e.g.,coumestrol, plicadin and/or wedelolactone), pterocarpans, roetonoids,neoflavonoids (e.g, calophyllolide, coutareagenin, dalbergichromene,dalbergin, nivetin), and/or pterocarpans (e.g., bitucarpin A, bitucarpinB, erybraedin A, erybraedin B, erythrabyssin II, erthyrabissin-1,erycristagallin, glycinol, glyceollidins, glyceollins, glycyrrhizol,maackiain, medicarpin, morisianine, orientanol, phaseolin, pisatin,striatine, trifolirhizin), and combinations thereof. Flavonoids andtheir derivatives may be included in compositions in any suitable form,including, but not limited to, polymorphic and crystalline forms.Flavonoids may be included in compositions in any suitable amount(s) orconcentration(s). The amount/concentration of a flavonoid(s) may be anamount effective to impart a benefit to a plant, which may be indirectlythrough activity on soil microorganisms or other means, such as toenhance plant nutrition and/or yield. According to some embodiments, aflavonoid amount/concentration may not be effective to enhance thenutrition or yield of the plant without the beneficial contributionsfrom one or more other ingredients of the composition, such as LCO, CO,and/or one or more pesticides.

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise one or more suitablenon-flavonoid nod-gene inducer(s), including, but not limited to,jasmonic acid ([1R-[1α,2β(Z)]]-3-oxo-2-(pentenyl)cyclopentaneaceticacid; JA), linoleic acid ((Z,Z)-9,12-Octadecadienoic acid) and/orlinolenic acid ((Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid), and analogues,derivatives, hydrates, isomers, polymers, salts and solvates thereof.Jasmonic acid and its methyl ester, methyl jasmonate (MeJA),collectively known as jasmonates, are octadecanoid-based compounds thatoccur naturally in some plants (e.g., wheat), fungi (e.g.,Botryodiplodia theobromae, Gibberella fujikuroi), yeast (e.g.,Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and bacteria (e.g., Escherichia coli).Linoleic acid and linolenic acid may be produced in the course of thebiosynthesis of jasmonic acid. Jasmonates, linoleic acid and linolenicacid (and their derivatives) are reported to be inducers of nod geneexpression or LCO production by rhizobacteria. See, e.g., Mabood et al.PLANT PHYSIOL. BIOCHEM. 44(11):759 (2006); Mabood et al., AGR. J.98(2):289 (2006); Mabood et al., FIELD CROPS RES. 95(2-3):412 (2006);and Mabood & Smith, Linoleic and linolenic acid induce the expression ofnod genes in Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA 3, PLANT BIOL. (2001).

Derivatives of jasmonic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid that maybe included or used in compositions include esters, amides, glycosidesand salts thereof. Representative esters are compounds in which thecarboxyl group of linoleic acid, linolenic acid, or jasmonic acid hasbeen replaced with a —COR group, where R is an —OR¹ group, in which R¹is: an alkyl group, such as a C₁-C₈ unbranched or branched alkyl group,e.g., a methyl, ethyl or propyl group; an alkenyl group, such as a C₂-C₈unbranched or branched alkenyl group; an alkynyl group, such as a C₂-C₈unbranched or branched alkynyl group; an aryl group having, for example,6 to 10 carbon atoms; or a heteroaryl group having, for example, 4 to 9carbon atoms, wherein the heteroatoms in the heteroaryl group can be,for example, N, O, P, or S. Representative amides are compounds in whichthe carboxyl group of linoleic acid, linolenic acid, or jasmonic acidhas been replaced with a —COR group, where R is an NR²R³ group, in whichR² and R³ are each independently: a hydrogen; an alkyl group, such as aC₁-C₈ unbranched or branched alkyl group, e.g., a methyl, ethyl orpropyl group; an alkenyl group, such as a C₂-C₈ unbranched or branchedalkenyl group; an alkynyl group, such as a C₂-C₈ unbranched or branchedalkynyl group; an aryl group having, for example, 6 to 10 carbon atoms;or a heteroaryl group having, for example, 4 to 9 carbon atoms, whereinthe heteroatoms in the heteroaryl group can be, for example, N, O, P, orS. Esters may be prepared by known methods, such as acid-catalyzednucleophilic addition, wherein the carboxylic acid is reacted with analcohol in the presence of a catalytic amount of a mineral acid. Amidesmay also be prepared by known methods, such as by reacting thecarboxylic acid with the appropriate amine in the presence of a couplingagent, such as dicyclohexyl carbodiimide (DCC), under neutralconditions. Suitable salts of linoleic acid, linolenic acid and jasmonicacid include, for example, base addition salts. The bases that may beused as reagents to prepare metabolically acceptable base salts of thesecompounds include those derived from cations such as alkali metalcations (e.g., potassium and sodium) and alkaline earth metal cations(e.g., calcium and magnesium). These salts may be readily prepared bymixing a solution of linoleic acid, linolenic acid, or jasmonic acidwith a solution of the base. The salts may be precipitated from solutionand collected by filtration, or may be recovered by other means such asby evaporation of the solvent.

Non-flavonoid nod-gene inducers may be incorporated into compositions inany suitable amount(s)/concentration(s). For example, theamount/concentration of non-flavonoid nod-gene inducers may be an amounteffective to impart or confer a positive trait or benefit to a plant,such as to enhance the disease resistance, growth and/or yield of theplant to which the composition is applied. According to someembodiments, the amount/concentration of non-flavonoid nod-gene inducersmay not be effective to enhance the growth and/or yield of the plantwithout beneficial contributions from one or more other ingredients ofthe composition, such as a LCO, CO and/or one or more pesticides.

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise one or more karrakins,including but not limited to 2H-furo[2,3-c]pyran-2-ones, as well asanalogues, derivatives, hydrates, isomers, polymers, salts and solvatesthereof. Examples of biologically acceptable salts of karrakins includeacid addition salts formed with biologically acceptable acids, examplesof which include hydrochloride, hydrobromide, sulphate or bisulphate,phosphate or hydrogen phosphate, acetate, benzoate, succinate, fumarate,maleate, lactate, citrate, tartrate, gluconate; methanesulphonate,benzenesulphonate and p-toluenesulphonic acid. Additional biologicallyacceptable metal salts may include alkali metal salts, with bases,examples of which include the sodium and potassium salts. Karrakins maybe incorporated into compositions in any suitable amount(s) orconcentration(s). For example, the amount/concentration of a karrakinmay be an amount or concentration effective to impart or confer apositive trait or benefit to a plant, such as to enhance the diseaseresistance, growth and/or yield of the plant to which the composition isapplied. In an aspect, a karrakin amount/concentration may not beeffective to enhance the disease resistance, growth and/or yield of theplant without beneficial contributions from one or more otheringredients of the composition, such as a LCO, CO and/or one or morepesticides.

In some embodiments, a composition of the present disclosure maycomprise one or more humic acids (e.g., one or more leonardite humicacids, lignite humic acids, peat humic acids and water-extracted humicacids). In some embodiments, a composition may comprise ammonium humate,boron humate, potassium humate and/or sodium humate. In someembodiments, one or more of ammonium humate, boron humate, potassiumhumate and sodium humate is/are excluded from a composition of thepresent disclosure. Non-limiting examples of humic acids that may beuseful in embodiments of the present disclosure include MDL NumberMFCD00147177 (CAS Number 1415-93-6), MDL Number MFCD00135560 (CAS Number68131-04-4), MDL Number MFCS22495372 (CAS Number 68514-28-3), CAS Number93924-35-7, and CAS Number 308067-45-0. In some embodiments, acomposition of the present disclosure may comprise one or more fulvicacids (e.g., one or more leonardite fulvic acids, lignite fulvic acids,peat fulvic acids and/or water-extracted fulvic acids). In someembodiments, a composition may comprise ammonium fulvate, boron fulvate,potassium fulvate and/or sodium fulvate. In some embodiments, one ormore of ammonium fulvate, boron fulvate, potassium fulvate and sodiumfulvate is/are excluded from a composition of the present disclosure.Non-limiting examples of fulvic acids that may be useful in embodimentsof the present disclosure include MDL Number MFCD09838488 (CAS Number479-66-3). In some embodiments, a composition of the present disclosuremay comprise one or more betaines (e.g., trimethylglycine). In someembodiments, a composition of the present disclosure may comprise one ormore peptones (e.g., bacterial peptones, meat peptones, milk peptones,vegetable peptones and yeast peptones).

In some embodiments, a composition of the present disclosure maycomprise one or more hygroscopic polymers (e.g., hygroscopic agars,albumins, alginates, carrageenans, celluloses, gums (e.g., cellulosegum, guar gum, gum arabic, gum combretum, xantham gum), methylcelluloses, nylons, pectins, polyacrylic acids, polycaprolactones,polycarbonates, polyethylene glycols (PEG), polyethylenimines (PEI),polylactides, polymethylacrylates (PMA), polyurethanes, polyvinylalcohols (PVA), polyvinylpyrrolidones (PVP), propylene glycols, sodiumcarboxymethyl celluloses and/or starches). Non-limiting examples ofpolymers include AGRIMER™ polymers (e.g., 30, AL-10 LC, AL-22, AT/ATF,VA 3E, VA 31, VA 5E, VA 51, VA 6, VA 6E, VA 7E, VA 71, VEMA AN-216, VEMAAN-990, VEMA AN-1200, VEMA AN-1980, VEMA H-815MS; Ashland SpecialtyIngredients, Wilmington, Del.), EASYSPERSE™ polymers (Ashland SpecialtyIngredients, Wilmington, Del.); DISCO™ AG polymers (e.g., L-250, L-280,L-285, L-286, L-320, L-323, L-517, L-519, L-520, L800; Incotec Inc.,Salinas, Calif.), KELZAN® polymers (Bri-Chem Supply Ltd., Calgary,Alberta, CA), SEEDWORX™ polymers (e.g., Bio 200; Aginnovation, LLC,Walnut Groove, Calif.), TICAXAN® xanthan powders, such as PRE-HYDRATED®TICAXAN® Rapid-3 Powder (TIC Gums, White Marsh, Md.) and combinationsthereof. Additional examples of polymers may be found in Pouci, et al.AM. J. AGRIC. BIOL. SCI. 3(1):299 (2008).

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise one or more anthocyanidinsand/or anthoxanthins, such as one or more of cyanidin, delphinidin,malvidin, pelargonidin, peonidin, petunidin, flavones (e.g., apigenin,baicalein, chrysin, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, diosmin, flavoxate,6-hydroxyflavone, luteolin, scutellarein, tangeritin and/or wogonin)and/or flavonols (e.g., amurensin, astragalin, azaleatin, azalein,fisetin, furanoflavonols galangin, gossypetin, 3-hydroxyflavone,hyperoside, icariin, isoquercetin, kaempferide, kaempferitrin,kaempferol, isorhamnetin, morin, myricetin, myricitrin, natsudaidain,pachypodol, pyranoflavonols quercetin, quericitin, rhamnazin, rhamnetin,robinin, rutin, spiraeoside, troxerutin and/or zanthorhamnin), andcombinations thereof.

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise gluconolactone and/or ananalogue, derivative, hydrate, isomer, polymer, salt and/or solvatethereof. Gluconolactone may be incorporated into compositions in anysuitable amount(s)/concentration(s). For example, theamount/concentration of a gluconolactone amount/concentration may be anamount effective to impart or confer a positive trait or benefit to aplant, such as to enhance the disease resistance, growth and/or yield ofthe plant to which the composition is applied. In an aspect, thegluconolactone amount/concentration may not be effective to enhance thedisease resistance, growth and/or yield of the plant without beneficialcontributions from one or more other ingredients of the composition,such as a LCO, CO and/or one or more pesticides.

In addition to a microbial strain or isolate, compositions andformulations in some embodiments may comprise one or more suitablenutrient(s) and/or fertilizer(s), such as organic acids (e.g., aceticacid, citric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, taurine, etc.),macrominerals (e.g., phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium,iron, etc.), trace minerals (e.g., boron, cobalt, chloride, chromium,copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, zinc,etc.), vitamins, (e.g., vitamin A, vitamin B complex (i.e., vitamin B₁,vitamin B₂, vitamin B₃, vitamin B₅, vitamin B₆, vitamin B₇, vitamin B₈,vitamin B₉, vitamin B₁₂, choline) vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E,vitamin K), and/or carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, cryptoxanthin,lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin, etc.), and combinations thereof. In anaspect, compositions of the present disclosure may comprise macro- andmicronutrients of plants or microbes, including phosphorous, boron,chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum and/or zinc. According tosome embodiments, compositions may comprise one or more beneficialmicronutrients. Non-limiting examples of micronutrients for use incompositions described herein may include vitamins, (e.g., vitamin A,vitamin B complex (i.e., vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5,vitamin B6, vitamin B7, vitamin B8, vitamin B9, vitamin B12, choline)vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, carotenoids (α-carotene,β-carotene, cryptoxanthin, lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin, etc.),macrominerals (e.g., phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium,iron, etc.), trace minerals (e.g., boron, cobalt, chloride, chromium,copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, zinc,etc.), organic acids (e.g., acetic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, malicaclid, taurine, etc.), and combinations thereof. In a particular aspect,compositions may comprise phosphorous, boron, chlorine, copper, iron,manganese, molybdenum, and/or zinc, and combinations thereof. Forcompositions comprising phosphorous, it is envisioned that any suitablesource of phosphorous may be used. For example, phosphorus may bederived from a rock phosphate source, such as monoammonium phosphate,diammonium phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, super phosphate, triplesuper phosphate, and/or ammonium polyphosphate, an organic phosphoroussource, or a phosphorous source capable of solubilization by one or moremicroorganisms (e.g., Penicillium bilaiae).

Microbial compositions for application to the surface of a plant, plantpart or plant seed may contain one or more adherents, binders, adhesivesor adhesive polymers (“adherents”), such as one or more maltodextrins,gums (e.g., cellulose gum, guar gum, gum arabic, gum combretum, xanthamgum), one or more mono-, di-, oligo- or polysaccharides, sugar alcohols,proteins, peptones, oils (e.g., mineral oil, olive oil, peanut oil,soybean oil and/or sunflower oil), and/or synthetic polymers, such aspolyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) or polyethylene glycol (PEG). Such adherentsmay include a paraffinic hydrocarbon solvent.

In some embodiments, a microbial composition provided herein maycomprise one or more maltodextrins (e.g., one or more maltodextrinshaving a dextrose equivalent value (DEV) of about 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, or 25).According to some embodiments, a microbial composition may comprise oneor more maltodextrins having a DEV of about 5 to about 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20, about 10 to about 11, 12, 14, 15,16, 17, 18, 19 or 20, or about 15 to about 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20.According to some embodiments, a microbial composition may comprise acombination of maltodextrins having a DEV of about 5 to about 6, 7, 8,9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20, about 10 to about 11, 12,14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20, or about 15 to about 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20.Non-limiting examples of maltodextrins include MALTRIN® M040 (DEV=5;molecular weight=3600; Grain Processing Corporation, Muscatine, Iowa),MALTRIN® M100 (DEV=10; molecular weight=1800; Grain ProcessingCorporation, Muscatine, Iowa), MALTRIN® M150 (DEV=15; molecularweight=1200; Grain Processing Corporation, Muscatine, Iowa), MALTRIN®M180 (DEV=18; molecular weight=1050; Grain Processing Corporation,Muscatine, Iowa), MALTRIN® M200 (DEV=20; molecular weight=900; GrainProcessing Corporation, Muscatine, Iowa), MALTRIN® M250 (DEV=25;molecular weight=720; Grain Processing Corporation, Muscatine, Iowa);MALTRIN QD® M580 (DEV=16.5-19.9; Grain Processing Corporation,Muscatine, Iowa); MALTRIN QD® M585 (DEV=15.0-19.9; Grain ProcessingCorporation, Muscatine, Iowa); MALTRIN QD® M600 (DEV=20.0-23.0; GrainProcessing Corporation, Muscatine, Iowa); GLOBE® Plus 15 DE (IngredionInc., Westchester, Ill.); and combinations thereof.

According to another broad aspect, compositions are provided comprisinga plant, plant part, or plant seed having a microbial strain or isolatedescribed herein associated with, or applied to, the plant, plant part,or plant seed. According to embodiments described herein, a plant orcrop plant that may be treated or associated with compositions orformulations may include a variety of monocotyledonous (monocot) anddicotyledonous (dicot) agricultural plants. Examples may include rowcrops, such as soybean, cotton, canola, sugar beets, alfalfa, andvegetables. Further examples include: Amaranthaceae (e.g., chard,spinach, sugar beet, quinoa), Asteraceae (e.g., artichoke, asters,chamomile, chicory, chrysanthemums, dahlias, daisies, echinacea,goldenrod, guayule, lettuce, marigolds, safflower, sunflowers, zinnias),Brassicaceae (e.g., arugula, broccoli, bok choy, Brussels sprouts,cabbage, cauliflower, canola, collard greens, daikon, garden cress,horseradish, kale, mustard, radish, rapeseed, rutabaga, turnip, wasabi,watercress, Arabidopsis thaliana), Cucurbitaceae (e.g., cantaloupe,cucumber, honeydew, melon, pumpkin, squash (e.g., acorn squash,butternut squash, summer squash), watermelon, zucchini), Fabaceae (e.g.,alfalfa, beans, carob, clover, guar, lentils, mesquite, peas, peanuts,soybeans, tamarind, tragacanth, vetch), Malvaceae (e.g., cacao, cotton,durian, hibiscus, kenaf, kola, okra), Poaceae (e.g., bamboo, barley,corn, fonio, lawn grass (e.g., Bahia grass, Bermudagrass, bluegrass,Buffalograss, Centipede grass, Fescue, or Zoysia), millet, oats,ornamental grasses, rice, rye, sorghum, sugar cane, triticale, wheat andother cereal crops, Polygonaceae (e.g., buckwheat), Rosaceae (e.g.,almonds, apples, apricots, blackberry, blueberry, cherries, peaches,plums, quinces, raspberries, roses, strawberries), Solanaceae (e.g.,bell peppers, chili peppers, eggplant, petunia, potato, tobacco,tomato), and Vitaceae (e.g., grape). Further provided is a plant part orplant seed taken or derived from any of the foregoing plants.

As used herein, a “plant part” refers to any organ or intact tissue of aplant, such as a meristem, shoot organ/structure (e.g., leaf, stem ornode), root, flower or floral organ/structure (e.g., bract, sepal,petal, stamen, carpel, anther and ovule), seed (e.g., embryo, endosperm,and seed coat), fruit (e.g., the mature ovary), propagule, or otherplant tissues (e.g., vascular tissue, dermal tissue, ground tissue, andthe like), or any portion thereof. Plant parts may be viable, nonviable,regenerable, and/or non-regenerable, and plant parts may in some casesbe developed, regenerated and/or grown into a plant, as the case may be.A “propagule” may include any plant part that is capable of growing intoan entire plant, and may include, for example, cuttings, rhizomes, andtubers, depending on the particular plant species. Plant parts that maybe treated or associated with a microbial composition may furtherinclude other cultured plant tissues or propagation materials, such assomatic embryos and callus, which may be regenerated, developed or growninto a plant.

A plant, plant part or plant seed may be transgenic or non-transgenicand/or contain one or more genetic changes or mutations. A “plant”refers to a plant at any stage of development including an embryo,seedling, and mature plant whether grown or developed from a seed,regenerated from a cultured tissue, or propagated in any manner.

Plants, plant parts or plant seeds that may be treated or associatedwith microbial compositions in some embodiments may include commercialproducts, such as plant seeds, sold by Monsanto Company (St. Louis, Mo.)or others, such as commercial crop seed sold or distributed under theGENUITY®, DROUGHTGARD®, SMARTSTAX®, RIB COMPLETE®, ROUNDUP READY®, VTDOUBLE PRO®, VT TRIPLE PRO®, BOLLGARD II®, ROUNDUP READY 2 YIELD®,YIELDGARD®, ROUNDUP READY® 2 XTEN^(DTM), INTACTA RR2 PRO®, VISTIVEGOLD®, and/or XTENDFLEX™ trade names.

As used herein, the phrases “associated with”, “in association with”, or“associated therewith” in reference to a microbial composition orstrain/isolate described herein and a plant, plant part or plant seedrefer to at least a juxtaposition or close proximity of the microbialcomposition or strain/isolate and the plant, plant part or plant seed.Such a juxtaposition may be achieved by contacting or applying themicrobial composition or strain/isolate to the plant, plant part, orplant seed, such as by spraying or coating the plant, plant part, orplant seed with the microbial composition, by applying as a foliarapplication to one or more above-ground tissues of the plant, and/or byapplying the microbial composition to the soil or growth medium at, nearor surrounding the site where the plant, plant part or plant seed isplanted, growing, or will be planted or grown. According to manyembodiments, the microbial composition is applied as a coating to theouter surface of a plant part or plant seed, which may exist as a layeraround most or all of the plant part or plant seed. According to otherembodiments, the microbial composition may be applied as a foliar sprayor as a soil drench or application at or near the base of a crop plant.According to some embodiments, the microbial composition may be appliedat or near the site of a plant seed in (or on) the soil or groundbefore, simultaneously with, or after planting of the plant seed.

Plants grown from seeds treated or associated with a microbialcomposition, and/or plants treated with a microbial composition at anystage(s) of development, may have improved agronomic traits orcharacteristics, such as increased disease resistance, diseasetolerance, disease control, growth, vigor, stress tolerance,standability, lodging resistance, and/or yield. Such plants may alsohave one or more other beneficial traits, such as increased or improvedbiomass, carbohydrate biosynthesis, chlorophyll content, cold tolerance,drought tolerance, salt tolerance, plant height, leaf length, leaf mass,leaf number, leaf surface area, leaf volume, nutrient uptake (e.g.,calcium, magnesium, nitrogen, phosphorous and/or potassium uptake), rateof photosynthesis, root area, root diameter, root length, root mass,root nodulation (e.g., nodule mass, nodule number, nodule volume), rootnumber, root surface area, root volume, salt tolerance, seedgermination, seedling emergence, shoot diameter, shoot length, shootmass, shoot number, shoot surface area, shoot volume, spread, and/orstomatal conductance. The improved traits may be indirectly due toimproved nutrient availability and/or soil characteristics. Such traitsmay be increased or improved by at least 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%,35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 100%,105%, 110%, 115%, 120%, 125%, 150%, 175%, or 200% (or more) incomparison to a control plant that has not been treated with a microbialcomposition.

Plants grown from seeds treated or associated with a microbial and/orplants treated with a microbial composition described herein at anystage(s) of development, may have one or more improved plant traits orcharacteristics. Such improved traits may include one or more ofincreased disease resistance, disease control, increased yield,increased biomass, increased bushels per acre, increased grain weightper plot or per plant, improved nutritional content, greater resistanceto lodging, increased root length, improved plant growth or vigor,increased stress tolerance, increased harvest index, increased fresh earweight, increased ear length, increased ear diameter, increased earweight, increased seed size, increased seed number, increased number ofpods, bolls or siliques, increased seed weight, and/or increased bushelsper acre (or other area of measurement). Such plants may have diseaseresistance that improves yield under disease conditions by at least 1%,2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%,65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 100%, 105%, 110%, 115%, 120%, 125%,150%, 175%, or 200% (or more) in comparison to a control plant that hasnot been treated with a microbial composition. According to someembodiments, the disease resistance may result in the yield of suchplants being increased or improved on average by at least 0.5, 1, 1.5,2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 11,12, 13, 14, or 15 bushels per acre.

According to another aspect, methods are provided for making microbialcompositions and formulations. Any suitable order of addition may beapplied or used to combine a microbial strain or isolate with one ormore suitable ingredients, carriers, solvents, pesticide, etc. Asdescribed above, a variety of different carriers, molecules, solvents,etc., may be combined with a microbial strain or isolate to make acomposition or formulation. The order of addition and the suitablecombination of ingredients may depend on the ability to maintain theviability of the microbial strain or isolate in the composition orformulation during storage, distribution or use. The composition orformulation may be chosen or designed to maintain the viability,survival, stability and/or shelf-life of the microbial strain or isolateduring storage, distribution, and/or placement or application inassociation with a plant, plant part or plant seed.

Methods are further provided for applying a microbial composition to aplant part or plant seed. A microbial composition may be applied as acoating that covers at least some, most, or all of the outer surface ofthe plant part or plant seed. The coating of a microbial composition maybe applied as one or more layers, such as one, two, three, four, five ormore layers, and may comprise at least one of a plurality of layers.Applying the microbial composition to the plant part or plant seed as adistinct layer from one or more other coating layers may allow forcertain substances, such bactericides, fungicides, etc., to be separatedor sequestered away from the microbial composition to improve thesurvival and viability of the microbial strain or isolate. The thicknessof each coating may vary, such as in a range from about 1.5 to about 3.5μm in thickness. A microbial composition may be applied to a plant partor plant seed as a liquid or powder. According to some embodiments, themicrobial composition or coating may comprise from about 10 to about1×10¹⁵ colony-forming units (cfu's) per plant part or plant seed, suchas at least 1×10², 1×10³, 1×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 1×10⁹,1×10¹⁰, 1×10¹¹, 1×10¹² or 1×10¹³ (or more) cfu's per plant part or plantseed.

Depending on the manner of application, a microbial composition may bean amorphous liquid or solid at 20° C., 21° C., 22° C., 23° C., 24° C.,25° C., 26° C., 27° C., 28° C., 29° C. and/or 30° C., perhaps even afterdrying or desiccation, and have 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, or85% (or more) relative humidity.

Numerous methods are known in the art for applying a liquid or powdercomposition or formulation to a solid surface, such as the outer surfaceof a plant material or seed, such as solid matrix priming, imbibition,coating, misting, spraying, such as via freeze-, spray- orspray-freeze-drying, dripping, soaking, immersing, dusting orencapsulating, which may also introduce the composition or formulationinto the interior tissue(s) of a plant material, such as the interiortissue(s) of a plant part or seed. A composition may be applied using aspray nozzle or revolving disc. Spraying the composition onto a plantmaterial or seed may be performed while agitating the material or seedin an appropriate piece of equipment, such as a tumbler or a pangranulator. Alternatively, the composition may be freeze-, spray- orspray-freeze-dried prior to application to the plant material. Batch orsemi-batch systems, in which predetermined batch sizes of material andcomposition are delivered into a tumbler, mixer, or pan granulator, maybe used, wherein a known volume of the microbial composition may beintroduced into the treatment equipment at a rate that allows the plantmaterial or seed to be applied or coated evenly.

A microbial composition in some embodiments may be applied to a plant orplant material, such as one or more plant parts or plant seeds, by anystandard treatment methodology known in the art, including but notlimited to those listed above and other standard or conventionalmethods, such as mixing in a container (e.g., a bottle or bag),mechanical application, tumbling, spraying, immersion, solid matrixpriming, etc. Other conventional coating methods and machines, such asfluidized bed techniques, the roller mill method, rotostatic seedtreaters, and drum coaters, may also be used. Any conventional active orinert material may be used for contacting seeds with a seed treatmentcomposition, such as conventional film-coating materials including, butnot limited to, water-based film coating materials. According to someembodiments, plant materials (e.g., plant parts or seeds) are coated byapplying a composition described herein to the inside wall of a roundcontainer, adding the plant material, and rotating the container suchthat the material comes into contact with the composition, a processknown in the art as “container coating”. Continuous treatment systems,which are calibrated to apply a composition at a predefined rate inproportion to a continuous flow of material, such as plant seed, mayalso be employed. Seed coating methods and apparatus for theirapplication are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,918,413,5,891,246, 5,554,445, 5,389,399, 5,107,787, 5,080,925, 4,759,945 and4,465,017, among others, the contents and disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference.

According to some embodiments, a composition for application to a plantor plant material, such as a plant part or seed, comprising a microbialstrain or isolate may be introduced onto or into a plant material by useof solid matrix priming. For example, a quantity of the treatmentcomposition may be mixed with a solid matrix material, and the plantmaterial may be placed into contact with the solid matrix material for aperiod of time to allow the treatment composition to be introduced tothe plant material. The plant material may then optionally be separatedfrom the solid matrix material and stored or used, or a mixture of solidmatrix material plus seed/plant part may be planted directly. Solidmatrix materials may include polyacrylamide, starch, clay, silica,alumina, soil, sand, polyurea, polyacrylate, and/or any other materialcapable of absorbing or adsorbing the treatment composition for a time,and then releasing the composition into or onto the plant material. Itis useful to ensure that the microbe and the solid matrix material arecompatible with each other.

According to other embodiments, a plant material, such as a plant partor seed, may be treated with a microbial composition by imbibition in atreatment composition. For example, the plant material may be directlyimmersed for a period of time in the treatment composition. During theperiod of time that the plant material is immersed, the plant materialmay take up or become imbibed with a portion of the treatmentcomposition. The mixture of plant material and the treatment compositionmay be agitated, for example by shaking, rolling, tumbling, or othermeans. After imbibition, the plant material may be separated from thetreatment composition and optionally dried, stored and/or planted.

In some embodiments, the treated seeds may also be enveloped with a filmovercoating to protect the nematicidal coating. Such overcoatings areknown in the art and may be applied using conventional fluidized bed anddrum film coating techniques. The overcoatings may be applied to seedsthat have been treated with any of the seed treatment techniquesdescribed above, including but not limited to solid matrix priming,imbibition, coating, and spraying, or by any other seed treatmenttechnique known in the art

After application of a microbial composition to a plant material, suchas a plant part or plant seed, the plant material may be optionallydried or partially dried.

The amount of a microbial composition applied to the surface of a plantseed may vary, but may be in a range from about 0.05 mg of thecomposition per seed to about 1 mg of the composition per seed, or fromabout 0.05 to about 0.5 mg of the composition per seed. A microbialcomposition may also be applied in an amount ranging from about 0.5 toabout 10 milliliters of the composition per kilogram of plant material(e.g., seed).

A microbial composition in some embodiments may be applied to a plantseed prior to sowing the seed. In this manner, seeds may be treated, forexample, at a central location and then distributed for planting. Thismay permit a person who plants the seeds to avoid the difficulty andeffort associated with handling and applying the seed treatmentcomposition, so they can plant the treated seeds in a manner that isconventional for untreated seeds.

Drying powders (e.g., comprising magnesium stearate, magnesium sulfate,calcium stearate, attapulgite clay, montmorillonite clay, graphite,powdered milk, silica (e.g., fumed silica, hydrophobically-coated silicaand/or precipitated silica), soy lecithin and/or talc) may also be usedor applied in any suitable amount(s) or concentration(s), such as in anamount ranging from about 0.5 to about 10 grams of drying powder perkilogram of plant material (e.g., seed).

In some embodiments, a microbial composition may comprise one or moremonosaccharides (e.g., allose, altrose, arabinose, fructose, galactose,glucose, gulose, iodose, lyxose, mannose, ribose, talose, threose and/orxylose). According to some embodiments, a microbial composition does notcomprise glucose. In some embodiments, a microbial composition comprisesone or more disaccharides (e.g., cellobiose, chitobiose, gentiobiose,gentiobiulose, isomaltose, kojibiose, lactose, lactulose, laminaribiose,maltose (e.g., maltose monohydrate, anhydrous maltose), maltulose,mannobiose, melibiose, melibiulose, nigerose, palatinose, rutinose,rutinulose, sophorose, sucrose, trehalose, turanose and/or xylobiose).In some embodiments, a composition may comprise one or moreoligosaccharides (e.g., fructo-oligosaccharides,galacto-oligosaccharides, mannon-oligosaccharides and/or raffinose). Insome embodiments, a composition may comprise one or more sugar alcohols(e.g., arabitol, erythritol, fucitol, galactitol, glycerol, iditol,inositol, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, maltotetraitol, maltotriitol,mannitol, polyglycitol, ribitol, sorbitol, threitol, volemitol and/orxylitol).

According to some embodiments, the microbial composition may be appliedto a plant part or plant seed at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 42, 45, or 48 hours or moreprior to planting the plant part or plant seed. The microbialcomposition may also be applied to a plant part or plant seed at least1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21,22, 23, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60, 64, 68, 72, 76, 80, 84,88, 92, 96, or 100 weeks or more prior to planting the plant part orplant seed. According to some embodiments, the microbial composition maybe applied to a plant part or plant seed at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25,26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, or 42months or more prior to planting. According to further embodiments, themicrobial composition may be applied to a plant part or plant seed atleast 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 years or more prior to planting.

According to some embodiments, a microbial composition may be one of twoor more compositions or formulations that may be combined or appliedseparately to a plant or plant material, such as a plant part or plantseed. For example, a microbial composition or formulation may becombined with an adherent-containing composition or formulation prior toapplication of the combined composition/formulation to a plant material,such as a plant, plant part or plant seed. When two compositions areused, the weight or volume ratio between the two compositions may varyfrom about 1:20 to about 20:1, from about 1:10 to about 10:1, or about1:5, 1:3, 1:2, 2:1, 3:1, or 5:1. The microbial composition and theadditional composition may be mixed and applied to the plant materialsimultaneously, or one of the two or more compositions may be appliedsuccessively (i.e., the microbial composition or the additionalcomposition may be applied first followed by the other), which maycreate coating layers on the plant material. For example, the additionalcomposition may provide a protective layer around the previously appliedmicrobial composition, or the additional composition may be appliedfirst to improve the binding or adhesion of the microbial composition tothe plant material. Two or more compositions may be mixed prior toapplication to the plant material if the combined compositions may causethe microbe to degrade or lose viability. According to some embodiments,a solid or dried formulation or powder comprising a microbial strain orisolate may be reconstituted in one or more liquid solvents for furtherformulation with other ingredients and/or application to a plant, plantpart or plant seed. Microbial compositions may also be combined with anumber of commercially available seed finishers, such as PERIDIAM™,PRECISE™, etc., for application of the combined composition with theseed finisher to a plant, plant part or plant seed.

Methods are further provided for applying a microbial composition to afoliar tissue of a plant or to a growth medium or soil, which maycomprise application of the microbial composition to the roots or roottissue of a plant. A “growth medium” may include soil and any othermedium known in the art that permits growth of a plant by providing amedium, matrix or substrate for root growth. A microbial composition maybe applied to a growth medium or soil prior to planting, simultaneouslywith or near the time of planting, such as within the furrow, or afterplanting (including during later stages of plant growth). According tosome embodiments, a microbial composition may be applied directly to thesoil at, near or surrounding a planted seed or the root zone of a plant.According to some embodiments, a microbial composition may be applieddirectly to the foliar tissues (e.g., leaf/leaves, stem, etc.) of aplant.

Such application of a microbial composition to a plant or soil or growthmedium may be performed using any method or apparatus known in the art,including but not limited to, a hand sprayer, mechanical sprinkler orsprayer, pressurized sprayer, injection, transplant water systems,plant/root dips, or by irrigation including drip irrigation. Indeed, thecomposition may be applied to a plant, seed, and/or surrounding soil orgrowth medium through sprays, drenching, drips, and/or other forms ofliquid application.

Compositions comprising a microbial strain or isolate in someembodiments may be used to improve one or more agronomic traits of aplant. Plants grown from seeds treated or associated with a microbialcomposition, and/or plants treated with a microbial composition at anystage(s) of development, may potentially have improved agronomiccharacteristics, such as increased or improved disease resistance,growth, vigor, stress tolerance, emergence, standability, lodgingresistance, nutrient uptake, plant nutrition, and/or yield. Improvedagronomic characteristics of the plant may result indirectly fromimproved nutrient availability and/or soil characteristics. Accordingly,methods are provided for planting a plant seed or regenerable plant parttreated or associated with a microbial composition in a field orcontrolled environment, and growing a plant from the treated plant seedor plant part. Alternatively, a plant seed or regenerable plant part maybe planted in a field or controlled environment, and a microbialcomposition may be applied to the soil at or near the seed prior to,during or after planting, and/or a microbial composition may be appliedto the plant at later stage(s) of development, such as via a foliarspray. According to some embodiments, methods are provided for improvingone or more agronomic traits of a plant, such as increased diseaseresistance or disease control by planting a seed or plant part that hasbeen treated with a microbial composition, or by applying a microbialcomposition to the soil, seed or plant either before, during or afterplanting, and growing, regenerating or developing a plant therefrom.

Plants grown by methods in some embodiments may have one or moreimproved plant traits or characteristics, such as improved diseaseresistance or disease tolerance. Improved disease resistance, control,or tolerance may also impart other beneficial traits or benefits to theplant, such as increased yield as compared to a control plant. Incertain embodiments, plants treated with a microbial strain or isolateprovided herein may exhibit increased resistance, control, or toleranceto a soybean SDS or a Pythium-causing disease, compared with untreatedcontrol plants. Such resistance or tolerance to these plant diseases,and other plant yield traits or characteristics, may be improved orincreased under disease pressure by at least 1%, 2%, 3%, 5%, 10%, 15%,20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%,90%, 95%, 100%, 105%, 110%, 115%, 120%, 125%, 150%, 175%, or 200% (ormore), in comparison to a control plant that has not been treated with amicrobial composition.

Mature plants produced by these methods may have one or more additionalagronomic traits, such as increased or improved yield, growth, biomass,emergence, plant stand count, lodging resistance, carbohydratebiosynthesis, chlorophyll content, live green vegetation or leaves, coldtolerance, drought tolerance, salt tolerance, height, leaf length, leafmass, leaf number, leaf surface area, leaf volume, leaf canopy, nutrientuptake (e.g., increased ammonium, calcium, magnesium, nitrogen, nitrate,phosphate, iron, manganese, phosphorous, zinc, sodium, boron, copper,sulfur and/or potassium uptake and/or presence in the leaves or otherplant tissues), rate of photosynthesis, root area, root diameter, rootlength, root mass, root nodulation (e.g., nodule mass, nodule number,nodule volume), root number, root surface area, root volume, salttolerance, seed germination, seedling emergence, shoot diameter, shootlength, shoot mass, shoot number, shoot surface area, shoot volume,spread, and/or stomatal conductance. Such traits may be increased orimproved by at least 1%, 2%, 3%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%,45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 100%, 105%, 110%,115%, 120%, 125%, 150%, 175%, or 200% (or more) in comparison to acontrol plant that has not been treated with a microbial composition asdescribed herein.

Plants grown by methods described herein may have one or more improvedplant yield traits or characteristics, such as increased yield,increased biomass, increased grain weight per plot or per plant,improved nutritional content, greater resistance to lodging, increasedroot length, improved plant growth or vigor, increased stress tolerance,increased harvest index, increased fresh ear weight, increased earlength, increased ear diameter, increased ear weight, increased seednumber, increased seed weight, increased seed size, and/or increasedbushels per acre (or per other measurement of area). Such plant yieldtraits or characteristics may be improved or increased by at least 1%,2%, 3%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%,70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 100%, 105%, 110%, 115%, 120%, 125%, 150%,175%, or 200% (or more), in comparison to a control plant that has notbeen treated with a microbial composition as described herein.

According to some embodiments, methods are provided for applying orassociating a microbial strain or isolate with a plant, plant part orplant seed, or to a growth medium or soil associated with a plant, plantpart or plant seed, in one or more geographies or locations. A microbialstrain or isolate may have a positive effect on the disease resistanceof a plant in one or more geographies or locations, which may depend onthe particular crop plant and the variable range of environmentalconditions from year to year at such geographies or locations.Environmental factors that may have an impact on the disease resistanceof a plant, such as the extent of pathogen presence, pathogen vectors,different soil types and chemistries, weather conditions, surroundingmicrobiome, etc., can differ significantly between locations.Accordingly, a microbial strain or isolate as described herein may beapplied to, or associated with, a plant, plant part or plant seed in oneor more geographies or locations depending on its activity and effect onthe characteristics of the plant, such as increased yield, stresstolerance, etc., at such geography(-ies) or location(s). Depending onthe particular geography and location, a different germplasm or maturitygroup of the crop plant may be used. Thus, a composition comprising amicrobial strain or isolate may be applied to (e.g., coated onto), orassociated with, a crop plant, plant part or plant seed having theappropriate germplasm and relative maturity for the particular geographywhere the crop plant, plant part or plant seed will be grown or planted.

According to some embodiments, methods are provided for improvingdisease resistance or tolerance of a crop plant by applying orassociating a microbial strain or isolate of the present disclosure toor with a plant, plant part or plant seed, or to a growth medium or soilassociated with a plant, plant part or plant seed, in one or moregeographical regions, including, but not limited to, agriculturalregions in Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus,Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia,Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Europe (e.g., agricultural region(s) ofone or more of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Burma, Croatia, CzechRepublic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain,Sweden, Switzerland and/or United Kingdom), Iceland, India, Indonesia,Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal,Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Serbia,South Africa, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine,Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe and/or the UnitedStates (e.g., agricultural region(s) of one or more of Arkansas,Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska,North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee,Texas, Washington and/or Wisconsin).

According to some embodiments, methods are provided for enhancing plantgrowth and/or yield of a dicot or soybean crop plant by applying orassociating a microbial strain or isolate of the present disclosure toor with a dicot or soybean plant, plant part or plant seed, or to agrowth medium or soil associated with a dicot or soybean plant, plantpart or plant seed, in one or more geographical regions of the UnitedStates to improve disease resistance of the crop plant, such as forexample, in a northern region including the agricultural region(s) ofone or more of Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota and/or Wisconsin;in a central region including the agricultural region(s) of one or moreof Illinois (e.g., northern and/or central Illinois), Indiana (e.g.,northern Indiana), Ohio and/or Nebraska; and/or in a southern regionincluding the agricultural region(s) of one or more of Arkansas,Illinois (e.g., southern Illinois), Indiana (e.g., southern Indiana),Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri (e.g., central and/or southernMissouri), Mississippi (e.g., northern and/or southern Mississippi),North Carolina, and/or Tennessee. North Dakota may optionally also bepart of the northern region; Kansas (e.g., northern Kansas) and/orMissouri (e.g., northern Missouri) may optionally also be part of thecentral region; and/or Alabama (e.g., northern and/or southern Alabama),Georgia (e.g., northern and/or southern Georgia), Maryland, Oklahoma,South Carolina, Texas and/or Virginia may optionally also be part of thesouthern region.

According to some embodiments, methods are provided for improvingdisease resistance of a crop plant by applying or associating amicrobial strain or isolate of the present disclosure to or with a cropplant, plant part or plant seed, or to a growth medium or soilassociated with a crop plant, plant part or plant seed, in one or morelocations or geographies having one or more environmental properties,characteristics or growth conditions, which may vary seasonally,monthly, monthly, weekly or daily during the year or growing season,such as higher or lower average humidity, higher or lower averagerainfall amounts, wet, dry or drought conditions, and/or various soilproperties and characteristics.

According to some embodiments, methods are provided for improvingdisease resistance of a crop plant by applying or associating amicrobial strain or isolate of the present disclosure to or with a cropplant, plant part or plant seed, or to a growth medium or soilassociated with a crop plant, plant part or plant seed, in one or morelocations or geographies having, or expected to have, disease pressureor increased disease pressure, such as increased fungal, Fusarium,Pythium and/or SDS disease.

According to some embodiments, methods are provided for increasingdisease resistance of a crop plant by applying or associating amicrobial strain or isolate of the present disclosure to or with aplant, plant part or plant seed, or to a growth medium or soilassociated with a plant, plant part or plant seed, wherein the growthmedium or soil associated with the plant, plant part or plant seed hasone or more of the following characteristics: higher or lower (includingrelative amounts of) sand, silt, clay, loam and/or organic matter, fineor coarse texture, USDA soil classification, higher or lower electricalconductivity, higher or lower pH and/or pH buffering capacity, higher orlower cation exchange capacity (CEC), higher or lower aeration, higheror lower water holding capacity, higher or lower drainage, and higher orlower macro- and/or micro-nutrients, such as one or more of ammonium,nitrate, phosphate, potassium, iron, manganese, magnesium, calcium,zinc, sodium, boron, copper sulfur and/or sulfate, each in various knownforms and compounds, relative to an average for such characteristicacross agricultural locations or regions. A plant growth medium or soilmay also be defined in terms of the measurement(s), range(s), degree(s)and/or relative amount(s) or ratio(s), including a deficit or surplusrelative to what is ideal, optimal or normal for the crop plant, of anyone or more of the foregoing soil properties or characteristics.

Microbial compositions of the present disclosure may be used to increaseor enhance disease resistance, plant growth and/or yield of a crop plantunder various growth conditions, including, but not limited to,nutritional deficits (e.g., calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium,nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and/or sulfur deficiencies), humidityextremes, pH extremes, temperature extremes, (e.g., average daytimetemperatures below 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72,73, 74 or 75° C., average daytime temperatures above 85, 86, 87, 88, 89,90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100° C. or more, averagenighttime temperatures below 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60,61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69 or 70° C., average nighttimetemperatures above 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82,83, 84, 85° C. or more, etc.) and drought conditions (e.g., less than 5,6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15 inches of rainfall during thegrowing season). It is to be understood that any determination of whatconstitutes a nutritional deficit, temperature extreme, droughtcondition, etc., may account for the plant species/variety being grown,as different species/varieties may have different preferences andrequirements for optimal yield.

Containers and kits comprising a microbial composition are furtherprovided comprising a microbial composition described herein. Kits mayfurther include other compositions and instructions for using themicrobial composition, such as in conjunction with farming practices.Containers may include bags or other containers or enclosures containinga dry formulation or powder of a microbial composition provided herein,and jugs or other containers may contain a liquid formulation of amicrobial composition. Further provided are bags or other containers orenclosures that have seeds or other plant materials that have beentreated or coated with a microbial composition.

Deposit of Biological Material

A purified culture of the microbial strain identified herein as MON201510 was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC),10801 University Blvd., Manassas, Va. 20110-2209 in accordance with theBudapest Treaty for the purpose of patent procedure and the regulationsthereunder (Budapest Treaty). The accession number for the deposit isPTA-123716. The date of the deposit was Dec. 16, 2016. The microbialstrain has been deposited under conditions that ensure that access tothe culture will be available during the pendency of this patentapplication to one determined by the Commissioner of Patents andTrademarks to be entitled thereto under 37 C.F.R. § 1.14 and 35 U.S.C. §122. The deposit represents a substantially pure culture of thedeposited strain. The deposit is available as required by foreign patentlaws in countries wherein counterparts of the subject application or itsprogeny are filed. However, it should be understood that theavailability of a deposit does not constitute a license to practice thesubject invention in derogation of patent rights granted by governmentalaction.

Microorganisms provided herein may have one or more of the identifyingcharacteristics of the deposited strains and, in particular, theidentifying characteristics of being able to confer increased diseaseresistance to plants as described herein. In some embodiments,microorganisms provided herein include the deposited microorganism asdescribed above, and mutants, variants or derivatives thereof.

EXAMPLES Example 1. Sourcing and Isolation of MON 201510

Microbial strain MON 201510 was isolated from the rhizosphere of a cornplant grown in a controlled environment using soil obtained from anative prairie location in Iowa, USA. The strain was isolated from thecollected sample by serially diluting onto R2A medium (0.5 g casaminoacids, 0.5 g dextrose, 0.5 g proteose peptone, 0.5 g soluble starch, 0.5g yeast extract, 0.5 g sodium private, 0.3 g K₂HPO₄, 0.05 g MgSO₄.7H₂O,15 g agar and water to a final volume of 1000 mL). Individual coloniesthat formed on the media surface from the sonicated cell slurry werepicked for further analysis.

Example 2. Identification and Sequencing of MON 201510

The MON 201510 isolate was identified as Pseudomonas chlororaphis by 16Sribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequencing. The 16S rDNA sequence was determined bywhole genome next-generation sequencing (NGS) and deduction of therelevant 16S rDNA sequence. The 16S rDNA sequence for the MON 201510isolated strain is provided as SEQ ID NO: 1.

Example 3. Growth Chamber Assay on MON 201510 for Controlling SoybeanSudden Death Syndrome (SDS)

The isolated MON 201510 strain was grown in a liquid culture medium, andthen frozen in 15% glycerol prior to use. Soybean seeds were treatedwith a thawed-broth suspension of the MON 201510 isolated strain at thetime of sowing as a broth drench and evaluated over four studies ininoculated disease experiments performed within a growth chamber. Thesame soybean variety was used for all experiments (Maturity Group 3.4).The experimental pots were inoculated immediately prior to plantingusing sterilized sorghum grain which had been previously colonized bythe SDS pathogen, Fusarium virguliforme. Control plants were non-treatedand inoculated. Disease ratings were performed at five weeks afterinoculation using an ordinal scale (1-6), where 1 equals a symptomlessplant and 5 equals a completely chlorotic and/or necrotic plant. Arating of 6 indicated a failure to emerge.

All experiments utilized a randomized complete block design. Trialscontained multiple control pots that were averaged by replicate. Theeffect of the microbial treatment on SDS disease severity was comparedto control plants. As shown in Table 1, plants grown from soybean seedtreated with a broth of the MON 201510 isolate had significantly reduced(p≤0.1) SDS disease severity relative to control plants in all fourstudies with an average reduction of 1.9 ratings points.

TABLE 1 SDS disease severity rating point reduction compared to controlMicrobe Study 1 Study 2 Study 3 Study 4 MON 201510 1.4 1.3 2.2 2.8

In a separate experiment conducted with a similar design as providedabove, soybean seeds were treated with a concentrate thawed-brothsuspension of the MON 201510 isolated strain as either a soil drench orseed treatment, and evaluated over two studies in inoculated diseaseexperiments performed in a growth chamber. As shown in Table 2, soybeanplants grown from seeds treated with the MON 201510 isolate either asseed treatment or as a drench had significantly reduced (p≤0.1) SDSdisease severity relative to the untreated control plants with bothtypes of application, with an average reduction of 1.6 rating points,which was comparable in this study to the efficacy provided by acommercial fungicide labeled for use with soybean plants (data notshown).

TABLE 2 SDS disease severity rating point reduction compared to controlDrench Seed Treatment Microbe Study 1 Study 2 Study 1 Study 2 MON 2015102.4 1.5 1.4 1.0

Example 4. Early Seedling Disease Assay on MON 201510

Soybean seeds treated with MON 201510 were tested in the field underconditions of infection by early seedling disease pathogen Pythiumirregulare. Testing was done in 14 locations in single row plots with acontrol receiving no microbe paired and 1 replicate. This paired plot,single row design allowed a side by side comparison of microbialtreatment to the control. All plots were inoculated in furrow with thepathogen. The effect of the microbial treatment on crop was evaluated atV3 and V6 by multi-spectral imaging, and compared to control plants. Asshown in Table 3, plants grown from soybean seeds treated with the MON201510 isolate had increased leaf area index (LAI) relative to controlplants under conditions of infection with the pathogen Pythiumirregulare. LAI is defined as the one-sided green leaf area per unitground surface area (LAI=leaf area/ground area, m²/m²) in broadleafcanopies.

TABLE 3 Soybean LAI increase under conditions of Pythium irregulareinfection Microbe LAI Delta p-value MON 201510 2.2 0.01

While the present invention has been disclosed with reference to certainembodiments, it will be apparent that modifications and variations arepossible without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention as disclosed herein and as provided by the appended claims.Furthermore, it should be appreciated that all examples in the presentdisclosure, while illustrating embodiments of the invention, areprovided as non-limiting examples and are, therefore, not to be taken aslimiting the various aspects so illustrated. The present invention isintended to have the full scope defined by the present disclosure, thelanguage of the following claims, and any equivalents thereof.Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded asillustrative and not as restrictive.

1. An isolated Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain deposited as ATCCaccession number PTA-123716.
 2. An isolated Pseudomonas strain, whereinthe Pseudomonas strain has a 16S rDNA sequence that is at least 99.5%,at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, atleast 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least99.95%, or 100% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1, and wherein the Pseudomonasstrain confers a positive agricultural trait or benefit to a crop plantwhen the crop plant is treated or associated with the Pseudomonasstrain.
 3. An isolated Pseudomonas strain, wherein the Pseudomonasstrain has a whole (or partial) genome sequence that is at least 99%, atleast 99.1%, at least 99.2%, at least 99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%,at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, atleast 99.95%, or 100% identical to the corresponding genome sequence ofthe Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain deposited as ATCC accession numberPTA-123716, and wherein the Pseudomonas strain confers a positiveagricultural trait or benefit to a crop plant treated or associated withthe Pseudomonas strain.
 4. The isolated Pseudomonas strain of claim 2 or3, wherein the positive agricultural trait or benefit is decreaseddisease severity or symptoms relative to a control plant.
 5. Theisolated Pseudomonas strain of claim 2 or 3, wherein the Pseudomonasstrain is a progeny of the Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain of claim 1.6. A functional variant of the Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain ofclaim
 1. 7. A pure or substantially pure culture or population of thePseudomonas chlororaphis or Pseudomonas strain or isolate in any one ofclaims 1-5.
 8. A composition comprising a microbial strain or isolateand an agriculturally acceptable carrier, wherein the microbial strainor isolate has a 16S rDNA sequence that is at least 99.5%, at least99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, or at least99.95% identical to SEQ ID NO:
 1. 9. A composition comprising amicrobial strain or isolate and an agriculturally acceptable carrier,wherein the microbial strain or isolate has a 16S rDNA sequence that isat least 99.9%, or at least 99.95% identical to SEQ ID NO:
 1. 10. Thecomposition of claim 8 or 9, wherein the microbial strain or isolate hasa 16S rDNA sequence that is 100% identical to SEQ ID NO:
 1. 11. Thecomposition of any one of claims 8-10, wherein the microbial strain orisolate has a partial or whole genome sequence that is at least 99%, atleast 99.1%, at least 99.2%, at least 99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%,at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, atleast 99.95%, or 100% identical to the corresponding partial or wholegenome sequence of the bacterial strain or isolate deposited as ATCCaccession number PTA-123716.
 12. A composition comprising a microbialstrain or isolate and an agriculturally acceptable carrier, wherein themicrobial strain or isolate has a partial or whole genome sequence thatis at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least 99.2%, at least 99.3%, atleast 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical to thecorresponding partial or whole genome sequence of the bacterial strainor isolate deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-123716.
 13. Thecomposition of any one of claims 8-12, wherein the microbial strain orisolate is Pseudomonas chlororaphis.
 14. The composition of any one ofclaims 8-13, wherein the microbial strain or isolate is the bacterialstrain or isolate deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-123716.
 15. Thecomposition of any one of claims 8-14, wherein the agriculturallyacceptable carrier confers at least one beneficial characteristic to thecomposition.
 16. The composition of claim 15, wherein the improvedcharacteristic is improved efficacy, stability, wetting, flowability orcoating onto a plant, plant part or seed relative to a controlcomposition lacking the agriculturally acceptable carrier.
 17. Thecomposition of any one of claims 8-16, wherein the agriculturallyacceptable carrier comprises a wetting agent or dispersant.
 18. Thecomposition of any one of claims 8-16, wherein the agriculturallyacceptable carrier comprises a binder or adherent.
 19. The compositionof any one of claims 8-18, wherein the agriculturally acceptable carriercomprises an aqueous solvent and a non-aqueous co-solvent.
 20. Thecomposition of any one of claims 8-19, further comprising a pesticidalagent.
 21. The composition of claim 20, wherein the pesticidal agent isone or more of a fungicide, herbicide, insecticide, miticide, acaricide,nematicide, or gastropodicide.
 22. The composition of claim 21, wherethe pesticidal agent is selected from the group consisting ofipconozole, metalaxyl, azoxystrobin, prothioconazole, metalaxyl,fluoxastrobin, clothianidin, Bacillus firmus, Penicillium bilaiae,Trichoderma virens, and Bacillius amyloliquefaciens.
 23. The compositionof any one of claims 9-22, further comprising a plant nutrient orfertilizer.
 24. The composition of any one of claims 9-23, wherein thecomposition is formulated as a solid.
 25. The composition of claim 24,wherein the composition is formulated as a powder, lyophilisate, pelletor granules.
 26. The composition of any one of claims 9-23, wherein thecomposition is formulated as a liquid or gel.
 27. The composition ofclaim 26, wherein the composition is formulated as an emulsion, colloid,suspension or solution.
 28. The composition of any one of claims 9-27,further comprising one or more of a lipo-chitooligosaccharide (LCO), achitooligosaccharide (CO), a LCO-producing bacteria or fungus, and achitinous compound.
 29. The composition of any one of claims 9-28,further comprising one or more of a flavonoid, humic acid, fulvic acid,jasmonic acid or derivatives thereof, linoleic acid or derivativesthereof, linolenic acid or derivatives thereof, karrikin, andgluconolactone.
 30. The composition of any one of claims 9-29, whereinthe microbial strain or isolate is present in the composition at aconcentration of at least 10³ cfu per milliliter or gram.
 31. Thecomposition of any one of claims 9-30, comprising a pure orsubstantially pure population of the microbial strain or isolate. 32.The composition of any one of claims 9-31, wherein the compositionconfers a positive agricultural trait or benefit to a crop plant treatedor associated with the composition, wherein the positive agriculturaltrait or benefit is decreased disease severity or symptoms relative to acontrol plant.
 33. A kit or container comprising or containing thecomposition of any one of claims 9-32.
 34. A plant, plant part or plantseed associated with the composition of any one of claims 9-32.
 35. Aplant, plant part or plant seed having applied or coated on at least aportion of the plant, plant part or plant seed a composition comprisinga microbial strain or isolate, wherein the microbial strain or isolateis heterologous with respect to the plant, plant part or plant seed andhas a 16S rDNA sequence that is at least 99.9% identical to SEQ IDNO:
 1. 36. The plant, plant part or plant seed of claim 35, wherein thecomposition is applied or coated on at least a portion of the outersurface of the plant, plant part or plant seed.
 37. The plant, plantpart or plant seed of claim 35 or 36, wherein the plant, plant part orplant seed is transgenic.
 38. A plant, plant part or plant seed havingapplied or coated on at least a portion of the plant, plant part orplant seed a composition comprising a microbial strain or isolate,wherein the microbial strain or isolate is heterologous with respect tothe plant, plant part or plant seed and has a partial or whole genomesequence that is at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least 99.2%, at least99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%,at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, atleast 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical to thecorresponding partial or whole genome sequence of the bacterial strainor isolate deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-123716.
 39. The plant,plant part or plant seed of claim 38, wherein the composition is appliedor coated on at least a portion of the outer surface of the plant, plantpart or plant seed.
 40. The plant, plant part or plant seed of claim 38,wherein the plant, plant part or plant seed is transgenic.
 41. A plantseed having on at least a portion of its outer surface a compositioncomprising a microbial strain or isolate, wherein the microbial strainor isolate is heterologous with respect to the plant seed, and whereinthe microbial strain or isolate has either or both of: (i) a partial orwhole genome sequence that is at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least99.2%, at least 99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%,at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, atleast 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100%identical to the corresponding partial or whole genome sequence of thebacterial strain or isolate deposited as ATCC accession numberPTA-123716, and (ii) a 16S rDNA sequence that is at least 99.5%, atleast 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least99.95%, or 100% identical to SEQ ID NO:
 1. 42. The plant seed of claim41, wherein the plant seed is a dicotyledonous plant seed.
 43. A soybeanplant seed of claim
 42. 44. A bag or container comprising or containingthe plant seed of any one of claims 38-43.
 45. A plant grown ordeveloped from the plant seed of any one of claims 38-43.
 46. The plantof claim 45, wherein the plant has decreased disease severity orsymptoms relative to a control plant grown or developed from a plantseed that was not treated with the microbial strain or isolate.
 47. Theplant of claim 46, wherein the plant has decreased severity or symptomsof sudden death syndrome (SDS) caused by a Fusarium species relative toa control plant grown or developed from a plant seed that was nottreated with the microbial strain or isolate.
 48. A method comprising:applying a composition to a plant, plant part or plant seed, thecomposition comprising a microbial strain or isolate and anagriculturally acceptable carrier, wherein the microbial strain orisolate is heterologous with respect to the plant, plant part or plantseed, and wherein the microbial strain or isolate has either or both of:(i) a partial or whole genome sequence that is at least 99%, at least99.1%, at least 99.2%, at least 99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%,at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, atleast 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least99.95%, or 100% identical to the corresponding partial or whole genomesequence of the bacterial strain or isolate deposited as ATCC accessionnumber PTA-123716, and (ii) a 16S rDNA sequence that is at least 99.5%,at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, atleast 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least99.95%, or 100% identical to SEQ ID NO:
 1. 49. The method of claim 48,wherein the microbial strain or isolate has a 16S rDNA sequence that is100% identical to SEQ ID NO:
 1. 50. The method of claim 49, wherein themicrobial strain or isolate is the bacterial strain or isolate depositedas ATCC accession number PTA-123716.
 51. The method of any one of claims48-50, wherein the applying step comprises coating the composition ontoat least a portion of the outer surface of the plant, plant part orplant seed.
 52. The method of any one of claims 48-51, wherein theapplying step comprises coating the composition onto at least a portionof the outer surface of a plant seed.
 53. The method of claim 52,wherein the plant seed is a soybean seed.
 54. The method of any one ofclaims 48-53, wherein the applying step comprises solid matrix priming,imbibing, coating, spraying, tumbling, agitating, dripping, soaking,immersing, dusting or encapsulating with the composition.
 55. The methodof any one of claims 48-54, wherein the composition is applied to a cropplant, and wherein the composition comprises an effective amount of themicrobial strain or isolate to decrease the severity or symptoms ofdisease by the crop plant relative to a control plant not treated withthe composition.
 56. The method of claim 55, wherein the compositioncomprises an effective amount of the microbial strain or isolate todecrease the severity or symptoms of sudden death syndrome (SDS) by thecrop plant caused by a Fusarium species, relative to a control plant nottreated with the composition.
 57. The method of any one of claims 48-55,wherein the composition is applied to a plant part or plant seed, andwherein the composition comprises an effective amount of the microbialstrain or isolate to decrease the severity or symptoms of disease by acrop plant grown, developed or regenerated from the plant part or plantseed after planting.
 58. The method of claim 57, wherein the compositioncomprises an effective amount of the microbial strain or isolate todecrease the severity or symptoms of the crop plant grown, developed orregenerated from the plant part or plant seed due to sudden deathsyndrome (SDS) caused by a Fusarium species, relative to a control plantgrown, developed or regenerated from a plant part or plant seed nottreated with the composition.
 59. A method of increasing the diseaseresistance of a crop plant comprising: (a) planting a plant part orseed, wherein the plant part or seed is at least partially coated with acomposition comprising a microbial strain or isolate and anagriculturally acceptable carrier, wherein the microbial strain orisolate is heterologous with respect to the plant, plant part or plantseed, and wherein the microbial strain or isolate has either or both of:(i) a partial or whole genome sequence that is at least 99%, at least99.1%, at least 99.2%, at least 99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%,at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, atleast 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least99.95%, or 100% identical to the corresponding partial or whole genomesequence of the bacterial strain or isolate deposited as ATCC accessionnumber PTA-123716, and (ii) a 16S rDNA sequence that is at least 99.5%,at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, atleast 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least99.95%, or 100% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1, and (b) growing orregenerating the crop plant from the plant part or seed.
 60. The methodof claim 59, further comprising: (c) harvesting seed from the cropplant.
 61. The method of claim 59 or 60, wherein the crop plant has oneor more of the following improved traits under SDS disease pressure:increased yield, increased biomass, increased leaf area, increasedbushels per acre, increased seed weight per plant, increased seednumber, increased pod length, increased number of filled pods, increasednumber of pods, improved nutritional content, greater resistance tolodging, increased root length, improved plant growth or vigor,increased stress tolerance, increased harvest index, and increasedbushels per acre.
 62. A method of increasing the disease resistance of acrop plant comprising: (a) applying to the crop plant a compositioncomprising a microbial strain or isolate and an agriculturallyacceptable carrier, wherein the microbial strain or isolate isheterologous with respect to the crop plant, and wherein the microbialstrain or isolate has either or both of: (i) a partial or whole genomesequence that is at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least 99.2%, at least99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%,at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, atleast 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical to thecorresponding partial or whole genome sequence of the bacterial strainor isolate deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-123716, and (ii) a 16SrDNA sequence that is at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%,at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, atleast 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical to SEQID NO: 1, and (b) growing or developing the crop plant.
 63. The methodof claim 62, further comprising: (c) harvesting seed from the cropplant.
 64. The method of claim 62 or 63, wherein the composition isapplied as a foliar treatment.
 65. The method of any one of claims62-64, wherein the crop plant has one or more of the following traitsunder SDS disease pressure: increased yield, increased biomass,increased leaf area, increased bushels per acre, increased seed weightper plant, increased seed number, increased pod length, increased numberof filled pods, increased number of pods, improved nutritional content,greater resistance to lodging, increased root length, improved plantgrowth or vigor, increased stress tolerance, increased harvest index,and increased bushels per acre.
 66. A method of decreasing the severityor symptoms of disease of a crop plant comprising: (a) applying to agrowth medium associated with the crop plant a composition comprising amicrobial strain or isolate and an agriculturally acceptable carrier,wherein the microbial strain or isolate is heterologous with respect tothe crop plant, and wherein the microbial strain or isolate has eitheror both of: (i) a partial or whole genome sequence that is at least 99%,at least 99.1%, at least 99.2%, at least 99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%,at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%, atleast 99.95%, or 100% identical to the corresponding partial or wholegenome sequence of the bacterial strain or isolate deposited as ATCCaccession number PTA-123716, and (ii) a 16S rDNA sequence that is atleast 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least 99.65%, at least99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least 99.85%, at least 99.9%,at least 99.95%, or 100% identical to SEQ ID NO: 1, and (b) growing ordeveloping the crop plant.
 67. The method of claim 66, furthercomprising: (c) harvesting seed from the crop plant.
 68. The method ofclaim 66 or 67, wherein the composition is applied to the growth mediumas a drip, spray, irrigation or soil drench.
 69. The method of any oneof claims 66-68, wherein the growth medium is soil.
 70. The method ofany one of claims 66-69, wherein the crop plant has one or more of thefollowing traits under SDS disease pressure: increased yield, increasedbiomass, increased leaf area, increased bushels per acre, increased seedweight per plant, increased seed number, increased pod length, increasednumber of filled pods, increased number of pods, improved nutritionalcontent, greater resistance to lodging, increased root length, improvedplant growth or vigor, increased stress tolerance, increased harvestindex, and increased bushels per acre.
 71. A method of increasing thedisease resistance of a crop plant comprising: (a) applying to a growthmedium associated with a plant part or plant seed a compositioncomprising a microbial strain or isolate and an agriculturallyacceptable carrier, wherein the microbial strain or isolate isheterologous with respect to the crop plant, and wherein the microbialstrain or isolate has either or both of: (i) a partial or whole genomesequence that is at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least 99.2%, at least99.3%, at least 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%,at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, atleast 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical to thecorresponding partial or whole genome sequence of the bacterial strainor isolate deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-123716, and (ii) a 16SrDNA sequence that is at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%,at least 99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, atleast 99.85%, at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100% identical to SEQID NO: 1, and (b) growing or regenerating the crop plant from the plantpart or plant seed.
 72. The method of claim 71, further comprising: (c)harvesting seed from the crop plant.
 73. The method of claim 71 or 72,wherein the composition is applied to the growth medium as a drip,spray, irrigation or soil drench.
 74. The method of any one of claims71-73, wherein the growth medium is soil.
 75. The method of any one ofclaims 71-74, wherein the composition is applied to the growth mediumbefore, simultaneously with, or after the plant part or plant seed beingplanted in the growth medium.
 76. The method of claim any one of claims71-75, wherein the crop plant has one or more of the following traitsunder SDS disease pressure: increased yield, increased biomass,increased leaf area, increased bushels per acre, increased seed weightper plant, increased seed number, increased pod length, increased numberof filled pods, increased number of pods, improved nutritional content,greater resistance to lodging, increased root length, improved plantgrowth or vigor, increased stress tolerance, increased harvest index,and increased bushels per acre.
 77. A modified microbial strain having a16S rDNA sequence that is at least 99.9%, at least 99.95%, or 100%identical to SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein the modified microbial strain confersa positive agricultural trait or benefit to a crop plant when the cropplant is treated or associated with the modified microbial strain.
 78. Amodified microbial strain having a partial or whole genome sequence thatis at least 99%, at least 99.1%, at least 99.2%, at least 99.3%, atleast 99.4%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.55%, at least 99.6%, at least99.65%, at least 99.7%, at least 99.75%, at least 99.8%, at least99.85%, at least 99.9%, or at least 99.95% identical to thecorresponding partial or whole genome sequence of the bacterial strainor isolate deposited as ATCC accession number PTA-123716, wherein themodified microbial strain confers a positive agricultural trait orbenefit to a crop plant when the crop plant is treated or associatedwith the modified microbial strain.